Betrothed
by locqua
Summary: Were Edward & Rosalie truly honest with Bella when describing their time together before Emmett came into the family? This is their story. True to canon & character, pre-Twilight.
1. Carlisle's Decision

_A huge thanks goes out to my beta Emilie Fauve, my fellow Target-ite! _

_All of the good stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Maybe Santa will bring me Edward for Christmas...._

* * *

"What have you done Carlisle?" The acid in my voice was palatable. I couldn't hide my disgust after seeing him hovering over the blonde woman, his teeth scrupulously sunk into her bruised neck. What was he thinking?

Esme and I had just returned from hunting, expecting to meet up with Carlisle after a long shift at the hospital, but instead we walked in on him…_transforming_ _her_.

I instantly scanned his thoughts, all the while holding Esme's hand.

_Too much waste. _

"A waste? Humans die every day!" I blurted out in response to the most prevalent thought that permeated his mind.

_No, Edward. She's special. She didn't deserve to die that way._

I hissed at him in disagreement, shaking my head violently. How could he?

_Try to see my side. Please? Look at her. How could I have left her on the road like that? Too horrible, too much waste._

Carlisle shifted slightly, finally turning to look at us. His eyes were mournful and somewhat penitent. I couldn't look away as he continued to plead with me.

_Don't you remember her? Rosalie Hale. You know her family. _

I nodded ever so slightly in acknowledgement. Of course I knew her. Everyone in Rochester knew who she was; the Hale's only daughter, the shining angel of western New York. Her status made Carlisle's choice even more dangerous. How could he do such a thing?

Esme squeezed my hand tightly.

"Carlisle." She didn't need to say anything more. He was instantly away from Rosalie, moving quickly to Esme's side. He reached up to cup her face as he pleaded with her.

"I…I couldn't leave her like this. Broken…" he trailed off again, his full attention on Esme. I watched the silent communication transpire between them, desperately trying to shut out their most private thoughts, but I was too late.

_She deserves more._

_No woman should have to suffer from an act as horrendous as that._

_We can help her – make right of the situation._

_A daughter. Someone for Edward._

I flinched at Esme's last thought, completely disgusted as I saw images dance through her mind of Rosalie and I, arm in arm, smiling at one another adoringly. Why would she think such insane thoughts about us together; a girl she didn't know?

Because she didn't _know_ Rosalie. Not the true person that resided inside of her stunning body. However, I did.

I quickly realized that was the root of my immediate resentment. I had met Rosalie only twice before; both times casually and only in passing. Rochester was small enough that we were bound to bump into one another eventually, even if we never mingled in the same social circles.

Our first acquaintance occurred at a hospital fundraiser. I remember having heard her thoughts before I actually laid eyes on her. Every thought had been about herself; how the men viewed her, how she compared to the other girls in attendance. She was continuously sizing herself up to her dismal competition, like it was some sort of game. I mistakenly glanced at her briefly to see what sort of creature could be so self-possessed, and that's when she saw me.

I had to admit, she was astounding. Absolutely flawless. Breathtaking. Physically, that was. But beneath the perfection on the surface, I could actually feel the waves of self-doubt rolling off her as she met my gaze. It was well hidden beneath a very brazen façade of self-assurance and confidence, but I could still detect it, even without my special ability.

We appraised one another for quite some time, eyeing one another up like horse breeders studying brood mares at an auction. At first her thoughts matched her expression.

_That must be Mrs. Cullen's brother. My mother was right – he is very attractive. But he also looks…arrogant._

I held my breath as this thought raced through her mind. Did I really look arrogant? If she thought I was arrogant, who else thought I was something that I wasn't?

I stared at her more intently, as though attempting to burrow out this misinterpretation like some sort of deeply-rooted weed in a garden. As she held my gaze, I was rocked again by her thoughts.

_He looks almost – lonely. How could someone so handsome be lonely? Did some girl break his heart? Whoever she is, she obviously made a mistake. He's arrogant, but not outwardly unkind. There's something in those amber eyes...but what does it matter, as long as he's watching me?_

Her last thought jolted me out of her spell. Of course every intuitive thought would eventually lead back to herself. I blinked back her words, refusing to acknowledge any truth that resonated in them. She was exactly the type of gorgeous human that I detested – utterly vain through and through. Not worth a second thought.

I quickly evaded her incisive look and found my way back to Esme and Carlisle. My first meeting with Rosalie Hale was slightly curious, but not concerning. I couldn't say the same about the second.

Esme had asked me to run to the post office to pick up a package for her. As I walked inside that overcast day, I nearly walked right into Rosalie.

"Excuse me," she said softly as she looked over her shoulder to meet my gaze.

I froze reflexively - obviously we recognized one another. My mind reverted immediately to our last near-confrontation. Yet another part of me was surprised by her tone - it was warm and welcoming. Almost the same tone Esme used when she spoke to me affectionately. I wasn't used to hearing such things from humans.

_Edward again. Strange that I haven't seen him until now. Handsome as ever. _

I almost stuttered out an inappropriate response, but quickly reigned myself in.

"I apologize, miss." I quickly stepped around her to the counter, averting my eyes. Inwardly, I cringed slightly at the thought that a mortal had forced me to look away. What was wrong with me?

_Maybe I was wrong. Arrogant, yes, but rude as well – how could he turn his back on me like that? _

Her eyes bore into my back. It took all of my strength not to whip around and face her. But _why_? Why was this shallow girl so intriguing?

_Royce. Royce wouldn't do this to me. He wouldn't look away…would he?_

She was thinking of her fiancée. I had heard the talk around town, so I knew of their impending nuptials. I also knew he was just one small step above scum - all of the money in the world would never make him a better human being. My opinion of Rosalie slipped another notch as I realized she must be marrying him for the money. Obviously she was perceptive enough to get a fairly accurate gauge of me. How could she not see the same of her fiancée?

_What a waste of natural beauty. If not for his superciliousness, he'd surely make someone happy. _

The sting of her words was somewhat diminished by her impressive vocabulary. I found myself pleasantly surprised in a very peculiar way. Maybe Rosalie Hale wasn't quite as predictable as I thought.

I gathered Esme's package and exited the post office as quickly as I dared. For us to maintain our life of discretion in Rochester, I had to refrain from unneccesary contact with the residents and do my best to maintain a low profile. Despite the bizarre events of the afternoon, Rosalie Hale soon drifted out of my mind.

* * *

"Someone kill me, please!"

I turned back towards her as she began to cry out. A small part of my frozen heart began to ache as I realized the torment she was beginning to go through.

"Dr. Cullen!" she begged. Her eyes remained closed and her breath was terribly shallow. Carlisle had left the room with Esme to explain his actions in more detail. I was left alone to watch her suffer.

Rosalie suddenly screamed in agony, the venom now fully surging through her veins. Despite all of her prior ill-willed thoughts of me, I couldn't help but flinch as she cried out for relief.

"Someone, please – stop the burning!"

I took a step towards her, though I wasn't sure why. I vividly remembered my own birth into immortality, and I knew there was no reprieve for this poor girl._ Poor girl_. What was happening to me? Why was I feeling sympathy for such a shallow creature?

Then suddenly her eyes opened, and she was staring at me in complete terror.

"Edward! Help me, please!" She screamed again and reached for me. I was helpless to retreat.

I grasped her hand, letting her squeeze the last of her human life into me. I could only imagine how cold and hard I felt to her. I quickly scanned her mind to see if she had figured out that her fate was something other then a mortal death.

_Please, help me! I want to die. There's nothing left here for me._

The memories of her rape began to trickle into my mind, and I groaned inwardly. Despite the bruises and shredded clothes, I hadn't put two and two together until now. How could someone do something to a woman, to _her _like this? Suddenly I understood Carlisle's actions, Esme's response. They were trying to right the wrongs of Esme's prior life. Was it the right thing to do? I couldn't possibly be the judge of that, but I could begin to empathize with my family's choices. I was beginning to feel remorse for the girl that just days before had seemed so incredibly superficial and vain.

"It'll be okay," I muttered quietly. I couldn't think of anything else to say to her to ease her suffering. She withered in front of me from the burn of the venom, her grasp on my hand growing increasingly stronger and more urgent.

Her body suddenly buckled against the pain as her thoughts thoroughly assaulted me.

_I can't take it – kill me! Please, I know you can…do it. DO IT!_

I knew exactly the pain she was experiencing, both physically and internally. Did she realize yet what was happening? I could hear enough of her thoughts that I knew, instinctively, she'd never survive as one of us, let alone be happy. This had to stop – even if it meant killing her.

"CARLISLE!" I yelled as loudly as I dared. Despite the impending death playing out before me, I couldn't help but think of shattering her eardrums when I cried for help.

Carlisle rushed into the room and to the bed.

_Edward, what's wrong?_

I turned towards him, speaking softly enough that Rosalie couldn't hear me. "She wants us to kill her."

_That's the venom. You know how it is. _

"No Carlisle. She won't be happy after the transformation. It's better if we kill her outright."

_You're wrong Edward. _

"I can hear it in her mind. She can't handle this." I tried to keep my tone even, but my frustration was mounting at Carlisle's blind thoughts.

_I disagree. _

"Fine," I spat as I released Rosalie's hand and marched out of the room. "You comfort her. After all, you made her." I knew it was wrong, that we would all regret this decision of his. I gritted my teeth in aggravation from the thought of Carlisle being so unusually selfish. He was doing this for himself, and Esme was foolishly supporting him as she continued to focus on creating the perfect family. But did he not remember my regret and struggle into this unnatural life?

I knew Rosalie was going to hate it, and consequently hate all of us. As if my own personal hell of contrition and torment wasn't enough, I'd now have to bear the weight of hers as well.


	2. Esme's Hope

_You know the drill - SM owns everything, including my soul.... :)_

_Thanks again to my wonderful beta, Emilie Fauve!_

* * *

I could hear Carlisle pull up a chair next to Rosalie. He began talking to her through her agonizing pleas for death; a human death. I tried to flee his voice, but I couldn't flee his thoughts. I heard every word of what he said to her.

_It'll be okay. The pain will subside. Then you'll be one of us._

She didn't want to be one of us. She didn't want to live after what Royce had done to her. She was too tied to mortality, to her family and everything in this world. The weight of Carlisle's rash decision bore down on me, reopening my own wounds of regret and anger over having become what I am. I couldn't stand it. I nearly ripped the outer door off its hinges as I stomped outside.

_Someone for Edward._

I cried out in agony as Esme's thoughts pounded my brain. How could she continue to think of playing matchmaker like this when she knew nothing about Rosalie? Was it simply because I had no mate? Is this how she and Carlisle justified turning her? For me? This was different than when Carlisle changed Esme; he_ knew_ her already, and she was in love with him! The transformation for her carried none of the regret because she knew they could love one another, share a life together. Esme's human life was over and she had no one left. But Rosalie did. She had a family that cherished her. She was engaged, in love with the monster that raped her and left her for dead on the side of the road. Just like I was a monster, a terrible creature frozen in time, incapable of change and feeling the kind of love that Carlisle and Esme insisted resided within me. Did they think she'd easily give up one monster for another, and did they just assume I'd be willing to take her as a companion because they wanted me to?

I began to run as fast as I could, fleeing the demon thoughts that plagued my mind from all three of them: Rosalie crying out for death and envisioning her own funeral; Carlisle talking her through the pain, spilling all of our secrets in preparation for her birth into immortality. But the worst thoughts came from Esme. She sat next to Carlisle, silently watching both of them as she ran images through her mind of Rosalie and me sitting together on the front porch, our heads bent close together in a quiet display of affection followed by an image of me gently stroking Rosalie's cheek before leaning in to kiss her. After that, the images came more rapidly and became much more vivid; replays of events that had happened for Carlisle and Esme, now with me and Rosalie superimposed in their places. I cried out again, pulling at my own hair in an attempt to rid myself of the onslaught of graphic and impossible images. I would not go down that path. I _could not_ go down it.

It was hours later when I finally slowed, eventually stopping along a small creek in the middle of the woods. I considered hunting to distract myself from the caldron of turmoil boiling inside of me, but I wasn't hungry or in the mood to track down a lone buck or bear. Instead, I slid down into a crouch against a large boulder, cradling my head in my hands as I considered my options.

I really didn't want to leave again. I had tried that, striking out on my own for several years. It was a more miserable life then the one dancing through Esme's thoughts. I had no willpower to deny myself human blood without the unspoken support of my kind. I rapidly ruled that choice out.

The second option was to return and embrace our latest family member. My stomach curled at that thought as well. Even if I was capable of opening my cold heart to Rosalie and forming some sort of bond similar to Carlisle and Esme's, did I really want to? The girl was shallow and vain and she didn't _want_ to be one of us. I couldn't think of a more miserable soul to be stuck with through eternity - and that was assuming that I could love her the way they wanted me to. I knew I wasn't capable, despite my family's hope that I was wrong.

That left a painful third alternative - return home, yet not embrace Rosalie. Deny Esme her wish for us to become companions and try to stomach a new family member that was miserable in her new life. Attempt to treat her as a sister, but nothing more. It would be taxing and utterly wretched, but I could do it, at least for awhile. If she turned out to be more aggravating then I had anticipated, I'd reevaluate my options and go from there. I owed Carlisle and Esme at least that much. They might even abandon the romantic notions if I proved to them how incompatible the two of us really were. Besides, I had heard Rosalie's thoughts before – she didn't want to be with me any more than I wanted to be with her. Surely, Carlisle and Esme would see the strife between us sooner than later?

I skipped a rock across the stream, letting the finality of my decision calm my frayed nerves. I felt marginally better after having made this choice. All I could hope for now was that Rosalie would do one of two things – leave us to search out her own way, or accept her new life with us and play the part of a daughter and sister peacefully, so we could all coexist. I had very little hope for the latter, but I had been wrong before.

The sun was dipping below the tree line as I began to race home and return to my growing family. As I approached the house, Carlisle and Esme's thoughts rang loud and clear through my mind.

_She's going to be exquisitely beautiful when the transformation is complete…wait until Edward sees her._

_Edward – how could he be so upset with this? He has to understand my decision to save her, to right the wrongs on that dark street. But what if he's unable to see that this is truly a gift for him, a way to help him accept his immortality and find the good in it? What if he can't welcome her into our family? _

Carlisle's thought made me stumble and hang my head in shame. He was worried I wouldn't welcome her? Was his opinion of me that low? I had grown so accustomed to the constant drone of praise from my father-figure, that to hear him think of me in such a way was acutely painful. I couldn't disappoint him again, not after the last few years. No matter what I thought of her, I had to try to at least be civil to her, for him.

I began the arduous task of masking my inner turmoil as I crossed the yard towards the front door. It was essential I make Carlisle proud and act accordingly - at least try and keep the peace. There was no turning back from Rosalie Hale becoming one of us. I would have to accept that decision and move forward; however, I was not yet ready to concede to Esme's request. That was simply impossible. I saw it as a bit of a compromise - I would welcome Rosalie to our little coven, but I would _not_ allow myself to love her. I wasn't capable of such a thing even if I wanted to.

They both heard me walk up the steps to the front door.

_Edward's back! _

Esme was emitting a plethora of happy thoughts laced with enduring hope for a loving future between myself and Rosalie. I sighed deeply, pondering how best to let her down easy.

Carlisle's thoughts continued down the same path, yet also questioned my ability to see his side of this decision. I walked calmly through the front room toward Esme and Carlisle's bedroom where he sat holding vigil over his latest creation. Rosalie was still trembling in pain, but her voice was exhausted, as she had not stopped screaming since I had left. Now she was only capable of low sobbing as the fires continued to race through her veins.

I focused on her thoughts for the first time since I had fled the house. They were murky; most likely due to the overwhelming presence of intolerable pain. Every now and then I'd catch a fleeting thought, mainly a plea for Carlisle to kill her. She was coherent enough to know she wasn't dead, but she thought the burning was still a remnant of Royce's brutal attack. It was still too early for Carlisle's words to make sense to her.

Standing behind Carlisle, I watched Rosalie violently shudder on the bed. While I was gone, they had changed her out of her bloodied dress and washed the dirt off her alabaster skin. Esme must have brushed and cleaned her hair as well, because it was no longer caked with dirt and grass. If not for her pained expression and rigid posture, she would have resembled a perfect angel. I had to admit that Esme was right in one respect – she was exquisite. If only that beauty permeated down through her soul, then maybe this would be easier.

"How much longer?" I asked.

_I'm not sure. At least another day. But she can hear us – I don't want to make it worse for her._

"Carlisle, your…" I started to ask him about his intentions, his feelings for her. I already had a good idea of how he felt, but I wanted him to speak it aloud before Esme and me. I wasn't trying to be hurtful or malicious, but I needed to know that everything was out in the open. Reading minds didn't always afford an accurate assessment of situations such as these.

He turned to look at me questioningly. I heard Esme approach from the other room, as if she sensed a need to be present for this discussion. Her intuition was correct. I rethought my question before finishing it.

"Will she stay with us?" This wasn't exactly what I wanted to ask, but it would still give me a better sense of what lie ahead.

Carlisle's expression darkened slightly. "It's her decision to make…but I think she'll stay."

Esme stepped forward, resting a hand on each of us. "I want her to stay with us. It'll help make our family complete." She glanced over at me, and I didn't need to hear her thoughts to see what she was getting at.

I looked away, unable to convince her or myself that I'd try to make this new living arrangement work, yet also unable to shut down her romantic expectations once and for all.

"Esme, you can't force such a thing on her." Maybe if I turned it around, making the suggestion unrealistic for Rosalie instead of myself, that would help her see the reality of the situation. It was worth a try. "She will need to learn how to live again, first." I could hear an edge creeping into my voice.

"He's right. Let's wait and see how she feels when she wakes up." Surprisingly, Carlisle was taking my side. I looked over at him curiously. Despite my role as his beloved son, I still believed my position on such matters took second place to Esme's.

_I know this is hard for you Edward, but she's only thinking of your happiness. Please don't rob her of that. However, I also won't push you on the subject. Let's wait and see what happens over the next few days before we make any brash judgments. _

I nodded slightly, feeling a few pounds of the crushing weight upon my shoulders being removed. I could give them that much. I could try to make this work.


	3. Rosalie's Awakening

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_Thanks again to my wonderful beta, Emilie Fauve!_

* * *

Carlisle never left Rosalie's side through the remainder of her transformation. He held her hand gently, talking to her through her muffled cries of pain and offering any condolences he could. Occasionally, Esme would go in to join him in an act of solidarity.

I sat waiting in the front room a few hours before her transformation was complete, when Carlisle called to me. Silently, I left my post on the sofa and entered the room.

"She's almost there. Can you sense it?"

"Yes."

Carlisle hadn't had the chance to teach me the process with Esme. For some reason he felt it his duty that I know how to change someone, even though I had vowed on the day I awoke into immortality that I would never curse another with such a sinister gift. Still, he insisted on instructing me on what to look for, how much venom was needed, and the signs of the transformation nearing completion.

_What is going through her mind? She doesn't speak much anymore, just mumbling nonsense._

I scanned her thoughts and found very little. It was like she had surrendered to the pain, allowing herself to slip into the darkness between this world and the next. I saw a dim image of Royce, followed by another of her younger brothers. That was all.

"Carlisle, she's given up hope. She's thinking of nothing but her family and fiancée," I said bitterly. The fears of her hating this unnatural life resurfaced immediately. I had a gnawing feeling deep in my gut that Rosalie was not going to handle this well when she woke up.

_Are you positive? _

He slid forward in his chair towards her distressed face before speaking.

"Rosalie, its Carlisle. Can you hear me? It's almost over."

Nothing. Her mind remained blank.

"Are you sure she'll awaken? Her mind is still gone." I tried to make my tone even, but the feeling of foreboding threatened to break through the mask that was desperately trying to hide my true emotions.

_Edward, be patient. She'll come around…_

_I'm still not dead? Maybe I'm in hell. That would explain why Edward still hates me._

I jerked back in surprise. Rosalie? It was as if a veil had been lifted from her mind. My head was suddenly flooded with her thoughts.

_The pain...when will the pain stop? Why didn't Dr. Cullen kill me - or did he? Why is Edward here - does it matter? He still has that haughtiness in his voice; he must still despise me. How could he hate me so much…I barely knew him…I barely talked to him!_

Her thoughts quickly shifted away from her supposed death and were now fully focused on me. _Me._ I swallowed a mouthful of bitter venom as she continued her mental assault.

_If I opened my eyes right now, would I see him glaring at me with those hateful golden eyes? How can he not find me beautiful? How is it that he's the only man in the state that hasn't tripped over his own feet to get my attention? He thinks he's better than me – that has to be it. He thinks I'm not good enough for him, that I'm not pretty enough. _

I closed my eyes, trying to turn off the steady stream of torture.

"What is it Edward? You can hear her, can't you? What is she thinking?" Carlisle had turned towards me, begging for answers.

I shook my head, refusing to reply, now pinching the bridge of my nose and gritting my teeth.

_Arrogant man! I'll tell him what I think of his attitude, his lack of manners. My father will speak to Carlisle as well!_

I couldn't take it anymore. I turned to flee the room for the second time since Rosalie Hale had entered our home and destroyed what little happiness we had carved out of our immortal existence. And she hadn't even opened her eyes yet!

"Edward, what's wrong?" Esme followed me out, trying to stop me.

"She won't be happy. She will never accept this life - she's refusing to accept Carlisle's words." I purposefully withheld her horrid opinions of me before rushing out of the house. Now where would I go? I promised myself I wouldn't leave, but how else was I going to deal with this? I sunk to the cold, damp ground, burying my head in my arms, trying to ignore her thoughts as best as I could.

* * *

I roamed the forest around the house for the next few hours, listening from a distance to Rosalie's awakening into darkness. Although I couldn't escape her thoughts, at least I could remove myself from her awareness. Carlisle told her everything about us, especially about our patchwork-quilt family as her heart pumped the last of the venom through her body. Her thoughts eventually drifted away from her hatred of me and began to focus on his confessions with growing anxiety. She had finally come to realize that she was not dead in the traditional sense. For the most part, her thoughts were a jumbled mass of confusion, anger, and spite.

I remained in the woods even after she had taken her last purposeful breath and risen as an immortal creature. She began to converse with Carlisle and Esme. Well, converse wasn't exactly the right adjective – more like argue. Loudly. She rejected Carlisle's words just as I knew she would, refusing to accept this new life he had intentionally given her. When she eventually quit arguing, her words rang with unabashed grief, as the memory of the events that led her down this new path flashed in her mind. At first she cried out for Royce in anguish, distraught that she had lost her fiancée and her supposed future with him. Then she remembered his brutal attack, and the sadness was swiftly replaced with resounding fury. Carlisle and Esme tried to convince her she needed to feed, urging her to let go of her anger towards him and start anew. Ignoring their suggestions, she wore her true feelings on her sleeve, insisting viciously that she would repay him for destroying her life by taking his. Carlisle and Esme were forced to restrain her, trying desperately to calm the angry newborn and convince her to hunt something other than Royce.

Then, I sensed the change. The waves of furious thoughts rolling out of her head ceased momentarily as she realized both Carlisle and Esme would never let her carry out her murderous wishes. A plan began to form in her mind. A plan to deceive, to play along with her supposed new family until they trusted her alone. Then she would strike down the men who had assaulted her.

My first reaction was to out her immediately in front of Carlisle and Esme, to reveal her true nature to their unsuspecting eyes. I knew they'd believe me. A smirk danced across my face at the thought of turning them against her. Maybe this was the answer to getting my dreary, habitual existence back to the way it was before she was callously dumped into my life.

Yet a small piece of me quietly protested this initial plan. _Do you honestly blame her for wanting retribution? How would you feel?_ I had already tried playing the part of God, killing despicable men such as Royce for years, searching first for some sort of atonement, then seeking out a form of release from the everyday torture of craving human blood. If I had the choice to continue to deplete the world of murderers and rapists while remaining with Carlisle and Esme in good standing, I would take it without question. But that was never a choice that existed for me.

However, it could exist for Rosalie. Carlisle and Esme would undoubtedly forgive her actions. He would blame it on her insatiable newborn thirst; she on Royce's brutal attack. Could I allow it to happen? _Should _I_?_

I refocused on her thoughts as I slowly made my way back towards the house for the second time since her arrival. She was continuing to plot and scheme, hearing Carlisle's arguments for sparing human life, but not truly listening to him. She was fixated on Royce and his friends' murders, as only a newborn would be. It would be virtually impossible to tear her away from that line of thinking until she had followed through with it.

But somehow, Esme found a way to distract her. As I crossed the front lawn and crept up the steps, I heard her thoughts clearly.

_The mirror. We must show her how beautiful she is._

I rolled my eyes before re-entering the house. If anything could distract someone like Rosalie, a mirror would be the perfect tool.

I watched silently from the doorway as Esme gave Carlisle a knowing look, then steered a devious Rosalie towards the mirror on the far wall. Carlisle understood her actions immediately, and held tight to her other arm as Esme walked her forward.

It was times like these that I was utterly amazed at the non-verbal communication between them. It was as if they could read one another's minds as clearly as I could. How would it feel to be so in tune with another like they were? To know that someone understood you so well that words were no longer necessary? I couldn't fathom such a relationship. _I would never have a need to with my gift_, I thought dejectedly.

Esme stopped Rosalie in front of the mirror. I watched her expression closely; fascinated to see how it married up to the thoughts flitting through her shallow mind.

_That's me? I'm so beautiful – even more beautiful than before!_

She cocked her head to the side, oblivious to my scorching stare and Carlisle and Esme's guarded expressions.

_But what happened to my eyes? _

Her face remained completely expressionless. It was eerie to see a creature with such contemptible thoughts be so incredibly talented at masking her emotions. No hint of her insatiable vanity leaked onto her flawless features.

_I've never seen any human as stunning as myself. Well, maybe Edward, but…_

I froze. Carlisle hadn't told her yet of my gift. He couldn't have, or she would have never let that thought cross her mind, regardless of whether it was actually true or not. Unless she was still so enraptured with her own magnificence that she carelessly forgot to hide such opinions. Should I announce my presence? I was actually a bit surprised she hadn't sensed me standing in the doorway. Carlisle and Esme both knew I was there, yet maintained their focus on Rosalie.

"Rosalie, you're breathtaking." Esme broke the heavy tension in the air. She reached up and stroked back a stray piece of blonde hair from Rosalie's face. The gesture was extremely loving and maternal. Clearly, she felt that she had a daughter at last, but it was Esme's other thoughts that thoroughly upset me.

_The poor girl doesn't know what to think of herself. Doesn't she see how much more_ _striking she has become?_

This hastily reinforced what I had surmised just moments ago while regarding Rosalie's expressionless face. She had them completely fooled for the time being. Without my abilities, she could easily deceive them until something, or _someone_ revealed her true nature. I swallowed stiffly as I realized that power fell solely on my already over-burdened shoulders. How would I handle this growing dilemma – handle _her_?

It was time for me to play the role of big brother; formally introducing myself and welcoming her to our masochistic little family.


	4. First Impressions

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_Thanks again to my wonderful beta, Emilie Fauve!_

* * *

"Rosalie." I stepped forward from the doorway, slowly approaching the statuesque blonde. I kept my tone even and my face void of emotion as she turned away from the mirror to face me. Her expression matched mine – completely blank, but her thoughts betrayed her calm pretense.

_Edward Cullen. Am I pretty enough for you now?_

There was no confidence in her mental question whatsoever. I debated whether to answer her, but decided to refrain. She'd find out soon enough. For the time being, I needed to use my talent to my advantage.

"Hello Edward." Her voice was absolutely magnificent. It rang out across the room like crisp, chiming bells, resonating off the walls and causing me to actually shiver. I balked at that surprising reaction, filing it away to contemplate later.

"Are you thirsty?" It was the safest thing to ask her, even though I knew that Carlisle and Esme had asked that same question repeatedly. I was especially curious to see how she would respond after hearing her previous plans of attacking Royce and his friends.

_Thirsty…they say I will always be thirsty. Thirsty for blood. Expected to drink from dirty animals for eternity._

She hid the disgust in her thoughts well. "Is that why my throat aches?" She was also playing dumb. I knew Carlisle had described the sensations she would be feeling, and so I waited to see if he and Esme picked up on her act.

Esme lovingly stroked Rosalie's hair again. "Yes, dear. Please let us show you how to ease the pain. You'll feel so much better after you feed."

_Edward, we need to get her to feed soon. It's the best way to acclimate her to this life._

Carlisle glanced over at me, waiting for a response to his thought. I raised and lowered my eyes once. Disappointment infiltrated my veins as I realized that he and Esme were either too blinded by Rosalie's beauty to see the truth, or they simply chose to ignore it. Either reason was downright nauseating.

"Why don't we all go out and hunt?" Carlisle suggested with an air of finality. He was struggling to control the situation and get Rosalie over her first considerable hurdle as an immortal while also distracting her from hunting down Royce. I played along for the moment, keeping a sharp eye on her reactions, and, more importantly, her thoughts.

_Hunt. I never thought I'd hunt any animal in my life. How ironic. What's the point of looking the way I do if I'll be covered in dirt and blood and grime?_

My urge to laugh was quickly stifled by the contradicting blank expression on her face as she turned to Carlisle and nodded submissively in answer to his question, waiting for him and Esme to lead her outside. Her attention returned to me as they moved across the room to the door.

_Is Edward joining us? Or is he too good to hunt with me?_

I answered Carlisle's earlier spoken question by following them out of the room. A nagging sensation was growing inside of my head every time I heard Rosalie mentally think about me. It wasn't that I didn't expect it, but there was something different about how her thoughts came across, different than how Esme and Carlisle communicated silently with me. Was it because she was still unaware of my ability? Possibly so, but I couldn't help but suspect it was something more, like the odd effect her voice had on me – _why was that_? There had to be a logical explanation, most likely something related to my distaste for Carlisle's reckless decision. Regardless, I did not like these new, foreign feelings that had started to course through my body.

Carlisle and Esme steered Rosalie away from the house and into the nearby forest that I had retreated to during her transformation. Once again, they were explaining the details of how we hunted. She listened patiently, but her thoughts betrayed her outward interest in their instructions.

_Might as well practice on some worthless animals before finding that monster._

She was back to plotting Royce's demise.

_He'll pay for what he did. They'll all pay. Even if it takes me a month or more to get them._

Her talents were amazing, even to me. Outwardly, she appeared to be listening intently to Carlisle's instructions as he showed her how to use her new heightened senses to seek out the animals that would best quench her burning thirst. She nodded at all of the right times, even asking questions when appropriate, yet her thoughts continued planning and scheming ways to kill Royce and his friends

_Got to find a way to get to him without anyone knowing. He'll pay._

I considered revealing her plans to Carlisle again, in private of course, so as to keep my special gift a secret from her as long as possible. But I just couldn't quite bring myself to do that. We would be moving from Rochester soon anyway due to Carlisle's decision to change her. Would it really hurt if she had her vengeance? Wouldn't I do the same?

As much as I despised the wicked blonde, I had to admit to that I would be thinking the exact same thoughts as she if I were in this situation. I decided, for the time being, to allow her plan to cultivate in secrecy. Let Carlisle deal with the consequential acts of his new daughter.

* * *

The next few days were spent acclimating Rosalie to her new existence. Discovering that your human life is over at such a young age is difficult enough when your parents are already gone and you have no family, lovers, or children to live for, as Esme and I knew all too well. Rosalie however, was suffering from a whole other level of pain. And I felt it first-hand.

At least a dozen times a day I considered leaving until sufficient time had passed for her to mentally cope with the transformation. Her constant thoughts of never seeing her parents or brothers again were unbelievably agonizing. Dreams of the future life she had planned with Royce were almost worse. I saw it all – deeply seeded sorrow at the realization that she'd never be a mother, never be able to grow old and watch her children's children take their first steps; and the awful realization that this idealistic future she kept replaying in her mind was snatched away by the sadistic monster, whom she had given her heart, and his fellow fiends. She couldn't let that go. No amount of comforting or reassurance from Esme and Carlisle lessened her personal torment, and I bore witness it all as if it were actually happening to me.

I tried desperately to understand, to empathize with this broken girl and her grief, but her pain was simply too much for me to endure. It repeatedly dredged up my own long-buried angst over this worthless existence, constantly driving me to the brink of insanity. Even if Rosalie were the sweetest, most self-sacrificing person to ever walk the earth, it would be nearly impossible to be in the same room with her, let alone embrace her as a sister; considering her malevolent personality, extreme vanity, and well-hidden lack of self-confidence, it was all I could do to be within a half-mile of her.

So, I avoided her that entire first week. When Carlisle and Esme schooled her around our home, I hunted as far away from the house as I could get. When they stepped out to hunt, I returned home for a few blissful hours of peace in the one place I could truly relax. The physical distance aided my attempts to stay out of everyone's heads, thereby minimizing my own suffering, but it was only a matter of time before Carlisle noticed my repeated absence and confronted me about it.

_Edward, what's wrong? Why are you avoiding all of us? Are you still angry with my decision?_

"No," I lied. I couldn't bear to tell him how much pain I was in, both from the onslaught of her agonizing thoughts and the acidity of her personality. It was bad enough I was suffering through it; he didn't need to as well.

_Then what is it? Esme and I miss your company. And Rosalie keeps asking for you._

I rolled my eyes at his last thought, knowing all too well that wasn't true.

"I just needed some time to be alone, I guess." I hadn't thought through what I would say to him in this situation, so I struggled with finding the right words. "Has Rosalie begun to adjust to her new life?" Changing the subject seemed my best option.

Carlisle sighed dejectedly before answering. "Yes, and no. She seems to have an extremely strong sense of self-control, but I'm concerned about her mental state while we remain in Rochester. I think it's time we uproot and move – very soon." I grimaced and lowered my eyes.

_I believe she's finally given up on thoughts of retribution against Royce. However, it's best we put some distance between them, to remove the temptation. _

I simply nodded, choosing not to inform him that plans to bring about Royce's demise continued to plague her thoughts. I was staying out of it.

"How soon will we be leaving?" I asked instead.

"As soon as we can pack everything up."

That meant no more than a couple of days. "Where will we go?"

Carlisle sighed again, "Somewhere far from other humans, at least for a while, to give Rosalie some time to acclimate. Also, somewhere we have never been before - that will help us all bond as a family." He gave me a pointed look.

_Perhaps isolation from familiarity will help foster a relationship between the two of you._

I gritted my teeth and fought to keep my response even. "Have you picked a place?"

"Yes. Appalachia. I was thinking down near Knoxville, Tennessee."

"Fine. I'm ready whenever you are."

_You're not happy, son. What can I do to make this easier on you?  
_

I shook my head and looked down at the floorboards. If a move was only a couple days away, I resolved to stick it out until then. Maybe Carlisle was right – maybe a move was what we all needed to make this expanded family work. If things didn't go well, then I'd contemplate going my own way again.

"You know, Edward, you can't ignore her forever. She'll be back from hunting soon. Can't you try to get along with her?" _Please? For me and Esme?_

Purgatory just kept getting worse. I thought once more about my short time as a human, trying to remember whatever it was I had done to deserve this hell-on-earth. I wanted to cry out that it wasn't fair, but I had given up looking for fairness years ago. The gods of fate seemed hell-bent on pushing me to the breaking point, this time with a demon disguised as Rosalie Hale.

I looked back up from the floor to meet his pleading gaze. "Yes, Carlisle, if it makes you happy, I'll try."


	5. Retribution

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_Thanks again to my wonderful beta, Emilie Fauve!_

* * *

She had just entered the house after hunting. Carlisle had departed moments before, joining Esme on a trip into town, securing the necessary means to begin the arduous task of uprooting and moving to Tennessee.

"How are things?" I did my best to hide all of my churning emotions behind a mask of indifference.

_Edward. So nice of you to make an appearance._

"Fine." She replied, glaring at me icily. So far, her thoughts were running in tandem with her words.

"Has Carlisle informed you that we'll be moving soon?"

_I'm not going anywhere until I visit my _beloved_ fiancé one last time._

She smiled, more in reaction to her own thought than my feigned politeness. "Yes, thank you."

An awkward silence followed. Both of us eyed one another speculatively.

_What is he thinking right now…he looks like he's waiting for me to say something. But what? All I want is for him to disappear, and leave me alone just long enough tonight so I can carry out my revenge. Carlisle and Esme obviously left him to baby-sit._

"Are Carlisle and Esme gone for the remainder of the evening?" she questioned lightly, showing no signs of the inner impetuosity churning within. I considered asking her if she had studied theater, but decided not to give her any reason to suspect my talents.

Instead, I played along. "Yes, I believe so. Securing the means to move so quickly is quite complicated. Carlisle will be calling on all of his business contacts to ensure no suspicion arises, particularly after your noteworthy death." I watched warily to see if she'd take the bait.

_Noteworthy! Who is he to mock the life that was stolen from me? If I'm immortal, then I should have no fear of retribution from the citizens of Rochester. Let them try and stop me…_

"I see. Well then, I would hate to keep you from…" she glanced around the room, searching for any sign that would indicate my prior activity in the house. This time I actually chuckled at her dramatic act.

"You're not keeping me from anything, really," I finished. Her red eyes returned to mine, squinting slightly as she sized me up.

_He's too damn smart for his own good. And too observant. Regardless of my plans, I am _not _spending the evening exchanging pleasantries with him._

She too, was quite observant. I needed to backpedal quickly to keep her from getting overly suspicious.

"Actually, I should probably go and hunt. It wouldn't hurt to build up my strength before the move." I watched her expression carefully. "That is, if you'd rather be alone this evening…"

_Perfect. As soon as he's gone, I'll take care of my own business before we relocate._

"I would join you, but I just returned from hunting. My thirst is well under control," she answered much too sweetly. Ah, what an actress.

"Well then, have a pleasant evening. I'll be back by midnight if you need anything." I nodded my head once in respect before stepping out the backdoor and into the woods.

_Finally – solitude. I never thought I'd want it this badly. Royce will pay for his sins tonight…all of them will._

I outwardly cringed at the fury that resounded inside of her head. Was this rage caused solely by Royce's assault, or had she been this angry and unforgiving her entire, short life? I prayed it was the former - that allowing her this retribution would give her some sort of peace, otherwise the volatile emotions within would ultimately consume her. Of that I was certain.

* * *

It was only prudent to assume she would be listening for me, so I was careful not to follow her too closely on her journey back into town. However, I was fairly confident that she did not expect me to be waiting nearby, observing her visit to Royce. Besides, I still held the trump card; she did not know of my abilities.

I ran in a wide arc away from the house, so as to disguise my scent in case she suspected my hunting excuse. Circling back around to town, I first headed to the King household, listening to the thoughts around me for any indication as to Royce's whereabouts. He was incredibly easy to find.

Royce and his four cohorts were at the local tavern, well on their way to getting inebriated despite the early evening hour. Judging from their fuzzy thoughts, they planned to retire to the King's barn later that evening for a poker game. I decided to wait for them there, knowing Rosalie was too calculating and smart to attack in such a public place.

A couple of hours later, I heard the men stumbling towards the barn. All five were so intoxicated that their minds barely functioned; I was amazed they had found their way home in that state. Before they arrived, I had staked out a hiding place up in the loft, my scent conveniently cloaked by the aromatic hay. Rosalie would never know I was here to witness her act of revenge.

The men began their disorganized game, arguing loudly over misdeals and continuing to take swigs off of a community bottle of whiskey. Royce was surprisingly the most coherent of the bunch, and he took full advantage of his position. Often, he palmed good cards or traded chips to a higher denomination when it suited his hand, cheating repeatedly with no regret whatsoever. As I observed his unbelievably malevolent behavior towards his supposed friends, I began to feel more righteous in allowing Rosalie her revenge. But I worried too – how would she react when she saw her fiancé this way? I had gathered from her dimming human memories that she had never witnessed any bad behavior on his part before the night he attacked her; either that, or she refused to admit to it. I hoped she would someday be able to see the poetic justice in Carlisle's actions – this new life _had_ to have more hope for her than an abusive marriage to Royce.

I heard Rosalie approaching, not by her light footsteps, but rather her potent thoughts. She was already in quite a rage, and she had not even actually seen her despicable fiancé yet.

_He will suffer; he will feel as much pain as I did. He will know fear beyond anything in this world. He will meet his maker in hell!_

Behind these specific thoughts, I saw the brutal attack on Rosalie replay in her mind like a broken record - her fright, confusion, and most of all, her love for Royce until the bitter end. He had left her decimated on that road, yet she remained unconditionally in love with him.

Unabashed hatred radiated around her, repeatedly striking me and causing sanguinary ideas to race hurriedly through my mind. No other vampire or human's thoughts had produced such an adverse reaction in me before; I was literally seething in anger toward the men below me, and I was prepared to act as a vessel for Rosalie's fury even before she stepped foot in the barn. Although the rational half of my brain told me there was no feasible way she could know I was about to bear witness to her slaughter, the other half feared she had been aware all along, and was now using me as her own personal pawn. I gripped a wooden beam forcefully to keep myself from jumping down and ripping the men to shreds.

Just then, she appeared. My crazed, emotional fugue was abruptly interrupted when I saw the dress she wore - _her wedding gown._ She resembled an exquisite, heavenly angel, adorned in white lace with her golden curls piled perfectly atop her head. Even her expression was divine, betraying not an ounce of the wrath that churned within her soul. Her very presence froze me in my place, temporarily quelling my rage like a soothing touch.

She entered through the side door silently, seeming to float above the clay floor and wisps of straw. Her red irises glowed in the light of the kerosene lanterns, making her look almost like a mockery of Satan himself. Approaching the manly ruckus, she remained poised and outwardly calm. I was thunderstruck by her control, knowing full well what was playing out in her head.

I wondered how close she'd get before Royce or one of his friends noticed her. The pressure of the room changed as she drew nearer, like a brewing storm in early April. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up from a combination of foreboding suspense and anticipated horror.

Now she was less than five feet away; three of the scoundrels' backs were to her, two facing her direction but too engrossed in their cards to notice the imminent white ghost before them.

_Look at me, you bastards. Look at me!_

How could they not see her, not feel her? Were all human males this unobservant? Her very aura commanded her presence be acknowledged – I, myself, could not tear my eyes away from her.

Several very heavy seconds passed as she noiselessly observed their raunchy card game. Finally, one of Royce's friends glanced up from his hand.

She met his gaze, waiting for his reaction. The man teetered drunkenly for a moment, almost looking_ through_ her instead of _at_ her while Rosalie stood stoically, sizing up her first victim.

_You will be thanking your maker later for that bottle of whiskey. However, I'll still make you wish you had drank a dozen more._

"Hello, boys." Her patience had reached its end. _You couldn't take your eyes off of me when I was human; you most certainly will not take your eyes off of me now._

The remaining four slowly rotated in their chairs, their heads working around the sweet timbre of her voice, trying to decipher what possible, wanton female would be brazen enough to disrupt their little game. Of course it was Royce who first recognized his fallen bride.

First, he tripped over his chair as he stumbled to his feet when Rosalie took another step closer, a sickening grin upon her flawless face. She reached out one hand, beckoning him towards her. Royce's jaw moved up and down, attempting to form words, but no sound escaped his clenched throat.

"What's the matter, my dear fiancé? Cat got your tongue?" Her scarlet eyes danced in delight when a feminine squeak escaped his lips as he scrambled backwards, knocking over the table and scattering the remnants of the game across the floor.

He finally found his voice. "You're…you're…" I expected Royce's friends to mimic his reaction. After all, they had participated willingly in her molestation; but now, they sat hypnotized by both her alluring voice and those commanding eyes.

"Dead?" Rosalie's laughter rang out like holiday bells across the stable as she answered Royce's utterance. "I don't think so." Her merry expression changed instantly; now she truly resembled the very demon that beleaguered their minds.


	6. Royce's Demise

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! And although I didn't get Edward for Christmas (insert dejected sigh here), I did get an Edward t-shirt! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve, the resounding expert on all things Carlisle!_

_AN: Please be aware that this chapter has earned it's "R" rating, and then some, for its graphic/violent nature. My goal for such detailed descriptions of Rosalie's attack is to convey the severity of her internal pain, and to quite honestly describe exactly what I think she would do. Hopefully, this does not offend any readers. For those of you who would prefer to skip the attack, scroll down to the last three paragraphs, as these are essential to read in order to understand Chapter 7. I promise this is the end of the violence!_

* * *

Royce had fallen to the floor when the flimsy table gave way under his weight. He lay beneath her, frozen in fright as he fell under her preternatural spell. Once again, I was amazed at how quickly she had mastered the very skills that made our kind the killers that we, inescapably, were. I waited anxiously for the blood bath to begin, questioning whether I'd be capable of merely observing, or if the spilt life-force of these fiends would drive me to break my promise to Carlisle. I desperately blinked back the monster inside of me that screamed for human blood, reminding myself that this was her kill; _her revenge_. I was simply there to –_ protect our family_?

Suddenly, my reasons for coming were no longer clear. _Why _was_ I here?_

I was given no opportunity to contemplate these fresh thoughts. Rosalie had waited long enough – she was about to test her immortal strength.

She left Royce cowering below her as she reached for his nearest friend, still rooted to his chair. Grabbing the man's arm, she yanked effortlessly, dislocating the limb from its socket. He yelped in shock, not fully feeling the acute pain surge through his body due to his inebriated state. The subdued reaction served only to fuel her temper even more.

Reaching around to seize him by the hair, she snatched him out of his seat until his face was inches from hers.

"You will _never_ touch another woman in your sick, pathetic life!" The last three words roared out of her mouth, the shrill pitch of her tone nearly shattering the eardrums of all five men. The man in her grasp was rigid in fear, completely unable to move a muscle, while the other four simultaneously cupped their ears in pain.

I wasn't sure if her next outburst was uttered out loud, or if I heard it only in my head.

_I'll see you in hell!_

Regardless, the man she was clutching let out a ghastly shriek as I watched her tear him apart, limb from limb. Any fear that I'd lose control over the bloodshed was instantaneously gone – I was as mortified as the men below, watching Rosalie exact her revenge in the most terrifying of ways. Every time one of her other victims began to inch their way towards escape, she unleashed the command within her crimson eyes, forcing their flight instinct to flee the scene without them.

She took her time, one by one, prolonging each subsequent man's death. Her thoughts had become purely animalistic; I could no longer decipher any set motives, but I assumed she was working through the men in order of the severity of the crime they had committed against her. The first man's death was the most merciful – she only let him suffer a quarter of an hour before snapping his neck in a fitful rage. The next two were left to watch one another endure hideous acts of torture, each one more wretched than the last. I gritted my teeth in anguish, forcing the men's impeding pleas for mercy from my own head. That type of misery, accompanied by the heavy scent of blood in the air, was simply too much for me to handle.

During these horrifying scenes of terror, Royce had bawled unabashedly like the true coward he was, burying his face in his hands and crying out to any god's name he could remember to come save him from his own bride. Rosalie chortled at his pleas, taking great pleasure in his distress.

The fourth man received the worst of her fury yet. I almost sprang from the hayloft and fled, myself, when she began to take small bites of flesh from each limb; but, knowing full well that to distract her at that moment would guarantee my own death, I remained a sedentarily captive in my musty prison. I could only imagine the additional pain of the venom, slowly working its way through his body as she tore him apart, piece by piece.

Eventually, Royce seemed to find his sense of self-preservation - or rather, Rosalie became so engrossed in her vengeance that she unconsciously released him from her spell. Either way, he suddenly bolted to his feet and sprinted for the main door.

She paid him no mind at first, continuing her slow dismemberment of Royce's last friend. The man was screaming in agony at each bite, begging like the others for forgiveness and mercy, but each request was met only with an angry snarl.

Finally, the broken man took his last breath. Rosalie spat the chunk of flesh she had just ripped from his body on the ground, repeating the action until none of the fiend's blood remained in her mouth. I was fascinated by this behavior – she seemed completely oblivious to the bloodbath surrounding her. Not once had she even partially drained her victim; it was as if she was immune to their fowl essence. How strange.

Four grotesquely mauled bodies now lay on the barn floor, growing colder by the minute. She kicked a cloud of dust onto them before marching defiantly out the side door, presumably to finish off Royce. I followed, even though I had had my fill of horror for the night. For some odd reason, I felt compelled to watch the act through it's final moments.

Royce had fled to a small shed across the property. I said a silent prayer of thankfulness that he had not gone to the house – innocent women and children were sleeping inside, and I could not discern if Rosalie had the power to grant them clemency in her current animalistic state. She was truly the most dangerous creature on the planet at that moment.

Two of the Kings' henchmen were guarding the shed where Royce hid. They were highly paid servants of the family, compensated well enough to not ask questions and to obey any request of their master, no matter how bizarre. As Rosalie approached them in her blood-stained wedding dress, their thoughts remained predominantly focused on Royce's safety. Human instinct was apparently dismissible if the price was right.

Thankfully she was merciful on these two men, who had nothing to do with her death. Rushing to them at inhuman speed, she simply cracked their skulls together, ending their life in one motion. Astonishingly, the blood that seeped from their wounds held no interest to her. I had to hold my breath to keep from exposing myself and draining every last drop from their broken bodies.

She had finally reached her ultimate goal – Royce. I hid in the shadows, still downwind in case her mind wandered beyond the prey that lay before her and she happened to catch my scent.

"Come out, dear love," she taunted. "Can't I have one last kiss?"

"You're dead! You can't be here! Leave me in peace!" He was nearly out of his mind from fear, barely making sense with his ramblings. "You're not her - not Rose! Go away…help!"

Rosalie tore the door off the shed with one hand before tossing it aside like a tissue.

"I'm not dead, Royce. I'm here for one last kiss…" she waltzed into the pitch-black shed, holding out her arms as if to welcome him.

He fell silent, frozen once again by her penetrating stare. She slowly embraced him, hugging his quivering body and brushing her lips against his cheek.

"Tell me you still love me."

Royce began to stutter. "Yyy…..eess."

"Tell me you're sorry for what you did."

"Please, don't kill me!"

Rosalie hissed. "Tell me you're sorry!"

Her tone caused his vocal chords to lock up. Royce struggled to give her the answers she sought, but his mind was rapidly deteriorating to the point of incomprehension. I could no longer pick one single, rational thought out of him.

"Tell me!" she roared before losing control. Lunging towards his face, teeth bared, she attacked him like a hungry lion, only instead of going for the easy kill and plunging into his jugular, she mauled his nose and cheek. I gagged, forced to turn away from the atrocious act playing out in the shed. She screeched again, answered by Royce's agonizing cries for help. No one came to save him. No one heard him but me.

She toyed with him like the hungry cat she mimicked - letting him think he had opportunities to escape, allowing him to reach the doorway several times before dragging him slowly back inside for another brutal round of bites. She was careful at first to just barely break the skin, letting the venom trickle gradually into the open wound and start the slow burn through his veins. I heard her rip chunks of his hair and skin from his skull before screaming obscenities into his bleeding ears. Her assault was ruthless, unforgiving and cruel - and it was exactly what he deserved.

After nearly an hour of toying with him, his heart began to slow. He had passed out numerous times from both pain and fright, but Rosalie forced him back into consciousness each and every time for more of the same. Finally, she realized he was on the brink of death.

She halted her actions, letting him continue to bleed slowly from countless wounds and feel the ever-present blaze of the venom. She squatted down in front of him.

"Do you feel that, dear lover?" she hissed. Royce uttered a single moan. "That horrendous burn that's getting more and more intense within your body - do you feel it?"

He swallowed stiffly, his muscles already beginning to convulse. I doubted he would have been able to manage even a nod in answer.

"That's what you did to me. That's exactly how I felt for _days_. Only I had different sorts of wounds that were much worse than anything I could ever inflict on you. Wounds that decimated me as a woman, made worse by the fact that it was the man I had sworn to give my life to who gave them to me, who stole my mortality - callously took away my one chance to live_ my dream_. And if that wasn't enough, I wasn't permitted to _die_."

Her hand shook as she reached out to squeeze his bloody jaw, forcing him to turn his glazed eyes towards her and see what his actions that night had created.

"I suppose I could sentence you to this same sort of purgatory. But then I'd have to live for eternity, always wondering where you were, what you were doing." Slowly, Rosalie stood, releasing him from her grasp and rising above the broken man like a sphinx from the sand. "I'd rather send you straight to the brimstone of hell."

She lifted one leg above his head and slammed her heel down across the bridge of his nose. A sick, cracking sound resonated throughout the shed as Royce slumped over, unconscious yet again, but not dead. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the disturbing images I had just witnessed, amplified a hundredfold by Rosalie's mingling thoughts. Thankfully, Royce's mind had shut down minutes before, relieving me of that last bit of suffering.

Rosalie's shoulders slumped forward. For all the might she had displayed while avenging her own death, she was now as broken as the man that lay before her. She sobbed quietly and tearlessly, clutching her stomach as she bent over and released the last of the hatred that had consumed her. The beautiful, white angel that had waltzed into the barn hours before was now no more.

I debated whether to go to her, comfort her. The grief was flowing from her mind at an alarming rate. I began to worry that if she stayed beside her dying fiancé much longer, she'd never be right – rather, lost in a state of anguish as wretchedly dismal as the fate she had bestowed on her attackers.

But once again, she completely surprised me. Just as I was rising from my hiding place to sequester her away, she stood and squared her shoulders in an act of resolve.

_He's not dead yet. I will not let him become what I am. _

I feared she'd resume her brutalities, but instead, she stepped over his body, disappearing deeper into the shed. I was at such an angle that I could no longer see her – but my ears detected her plan. The metal handle of a lantern clanked against its glass encasing. A solitary match slid across the base, igniting instantly as she lit the kerosene wick.

_Let him burn for all eternity._

She was going to burn the body, and the shed.

I would have sighed in relief at her foresight to erase all evidence, but she then made a fatal error. Ceremoniously, she pitched the burning lantern down on his body, spraying kerosene on both Royce and the dry, wooden wall that he rested against. The flames ignited the flammable liquid immediately, causing trails of blue to race up the sides of the shed and onto the roof. Within seconds, the shed was nearly engulfed, the only exit blocked by Royce's burning body.

Carlisle had forgotten to share one last secret of our lives with her, our one frailty - _fire_. She was totally unaware that this was our nemesis. Did he not tell her because he knew she'd quite possibly commit suicide with that knowledge?

The sudden irony fell to the wayside as I made a split-second decision. _Save her_. It wasn't even really a decision; rather, it was the only choice left for me. All of my earlier, devious thoughts of how to extract her from my life no longer existed. The last few hours spent walking in her shoes - via her thoughts - had shown me that she was _worth_ saving. A moment of clarity unlike any I could ever remember was upon me. _I honestly understood her_.

* * *

_Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays everyone! Sorry that the most brutal chapter happened to get finished on such a day, but I promise the next chapter will more then make up for it! I'll do my best to get it posted ASAP!_

_Also, go check out my beta's new story, "In My Power", an awesome in-canon account of Carlisle's experiences creating each of the Cullens. It's linked in my favorite stories._


	7. Rescue

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve, the resounding expert on all things Carlisle!_

* * *

I moved like lightning, streaking into the burning shed and leaping over Royce's funeral pyre. Grabbing hold of her roughly, I threw the both of us out the disintegrating door before it was too late. Rosalie gasped in surprise when she felt my arm lock around her waist.

_Edward??_

She was in shock, her mind no longer functioning diabolically like before - a_n unforeseen blessing_ - I thought thankfully, thus making my actions that much easier.

I beat the small flames out of Rosalie's skirt, rolling her over once to make sure no other part was on fire. She had escaped unscathed, but it was no time to celebrate. We had to get to the barn and burn it, as well, before the shed drew the attention of Royce's family from the nearby house.

There was no time to waste explaining my plan - I grabbed her hand, yanking her to her feet and dragging her with me across the yard, back towards the remaining four bodies.

_What are you doing here?_

She had mentally recovered faster than I had hoped.

"Later. We have to destroy the barn before they come out to investigate."

_Destroy the barn? Why?_

"They can't find the mutilated bodies. They'll tear the town apart in search of the murderer. We cannot afford to risk it." It hadn't escaped my attention that she had not yet grasped that I was answering her wordless questions. I hoped she wouldn't figure that out until after the barn was ablaze and we were a safe distance into the woods.

She ran silently with me for a second before hitting me with the next unspoken question.

_You knew I was here. You've been here the whole time, haven't you?_

"Yes." Upon reaching the building, I threw open the door and raced inside, gathering as many unlit lanterns as I could find before hunting for a match. She slowed to a stop a few feet inside, staring at me with her mouth agape.

_How did you know?_

I ignored her, searching in vain for something to ignite the lanterns. I could now hear the thoughts of those in the house as they became aware of the burning shed; we had very little time.

_I was careful…I checked to make sure you weren't behind me._

Finally, I found the matches. I lit the wicks immediately, slamming the burning lanterns into various piles of hay in each corner of the barn. Thankfully, there was no livestock to deal with.

_Carlisle and Esme don't know – they would be here too. Only you knew. How?_

I tried desperately to tune out her deducing thoughts – she was very close to the truth, now. I'd have to explain momentarily, but first, I had to finish burning the barn…

_I think I'll take a seat over here next to this stall, and rest for a moment._

"No!" I screamed. "Get out of here! Wait for me outside!" The flames were starting to spread, and the last thing I needed was her trapped again. I shooed her outside, for I doubted our luck would last through another rescue. Dumping the last bit of kerosene onto the four bodies, I threw the final lantern upon them, ensuring that no traces of her revenge would survive.

I sprinted around the floor one last time, fanning the smaller blazes into infernos before fleeing the perilous tinderbox. The hay in the mow was extremely dry; the barn would be fully engulfed long before anyone came to investigate.

_You can read my mind._

Although I knew I should be thankful that she hadn't guessed the truth before my task was finished, I was nonetheless disappointed that she caught on so quickly. Never again would I underestimate Rosalie Hale.

_Explain yourself, Edward!_

Exiting the barn, I ran and grabbed her hand again, tugging her with me towards the dark forest to the north. At the very least, we needed refuge, far away from her retributions, so we could talk without fear of being overheard. I would circle back awhile later to make sure no human had grown suspicious of the crimes.

_Why did you watch? Why didn't you stop me? Carlisle told me revenge was not an option - he doesn't know, does he?_

Once we had reached a safe distance near a break in the trees, I slowed our pace, slumping in mental and emotional exhaustion against a large rock outcropping. If I could sleep, I would have crawled into a hole for days, trying to rid my mind of every last disturbing scene I had witnessed that evening.

"Edward." She murmured my name softly into the cool, dark air. Her tone was foreign – I had never heard her speak without either an edge to her words or obvious mockery in her tone. This time, she spoke from the heart, without the usual bitterness.

"You knew I was going to kill him, didn't you?"

I sighed disconsolately before answering. "Yes."

Although she had already guessed nearly everything, she was still rocked by my admittance. Rosalie swallowed and shook her head before speaking again.

"How did you know?"

"You already know." I wanted to hear her say it.

"You…read my mind, didn't you?"

I looked up and met her gaze squarely. "Yes."

She paused for a second. "How?"

I glanced over her shoulder, watching the dim orange glow of the barn fire through the trees. "I just did." I was too mentally drained to explain the finer details of my talents at that particular moment.

"Can you read Carlisle and Esme's minds?"

"Yes."

"Everyone? Even…humans?" Her voice cracked at the last word.

I nodded.

_What am I thinking now? Four score and seven years ago…_

"The Gettysburg Address."

Now she thoroughly believed me. Reeling backwards, she looked terrified, yet also curious. I watched her carefully. For the first time since she had awoke into immortality, she was displaying her true emotions. It was wonderfully refreshing after watching her pretending to be something she wasn't for so long.

Rosalie sank to her knees next to me.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was no reason to."

_That's a bunch of crap._

A laugh escaped me. I looked up at her sheepishly, though I didn't know why I was ashamed by my reaction. She studied me inquisitively while continuing to fire questions telepathically.

_Why did you let me come here? Carlisle insisted that I shouldn't. _

"I…" What did I tell her? The truth? That I had empathized with her anger, her torment; that I agreed Royce and his cohorts should have all of the pain reciprocated back that they had inflicted on her, tenfold? I settled for the safest answer, instead.

"I knew you'd come one way or the other. I thought it was best if we left Carlisle and Esme out of it, for now."

_But why did _you_ come? To make sure I didn't expose you or your family?_

"Partially, yes. And to make sure the job was done right." I refrained from telling her the other, more important reason why I came – because I identified with her inner pain.

_Why else? I can see in your eyes that there's more._

I looked away again, debating on whether or not to share what I had heard in the barn before she made her dramatic entrance. To tell her would either appease the act once and for all, or drive her over the edge.

_Tell me, Edward. Please._

"Before you arrived tonight, I was waiting in the barn while they played cards. I saw things in their minds, in Royce's mind." I looked up at her angelic face, glowing serenely in the moonlight. "Rosalie, you weren't the first girl he – brutalized."

She sucked in her breath and became still. I took a chance and continued.

"And you wouldn't have been the last if they were allowed to live."

Her face broke upon hearing these last words, the realization of what could have been her future finally sinking in.

_I was engaged to an utter monster – someone more inhuman than any imaginable creature roaming this earth. How ironic that now_ I'm_ the inhuman monster…_

"No, Rosalie, no," I whimpered, reaching out for her hand in solace. She bowed her head in shame, permitting me to touch her, but not reciprocating my actions. I did not blame her.

We sat silently, holding hands in the darkness, both afraid to speak. She continued to run memories of Royce through her mind, memories that were now tainted by this terrible revelation. She was seeing things differently now – instances where the indicators to his nature were present, yet she was too blinded by love and hope to see them for what they were. Repeatedly, she chastised herself.

"It's not your fault. He was a monster before you met him."

_And now what am I? As inhuman as he? Sentenced to walk the earth for eternity, sustained only by the blood of my own kind?_

"We don't have to live that way," I said quietly. I fought to put as much affirmation into my tone as possible, or she'd see right through my words.

"Animals," she spat. "I will be forced to hunt animals like some common beast."

I nodded. "Yes, it's the only way."

Her head perked up, and she turned to me, suddenly curious.

_Why did you pull me from the fire? Extinguish my dress? _

I pursed my lips together, refusing to answer her question.

_That's how we die, isn't it? _

I remained silent.

_Your silence is the same as lying, Edward. I may not be able to read minds, but I can still read _you_. _

She was absolutely right, and I hated it. "Yes, we can die by fire."

_Then why did you bother saving me?_

I closed my eyes tightly, no longer able to look at her. I felt her squeeze my hand once, reminding me that we were physically connected, as well as emotionally. This was the one question I had prayed she would not ask, because I myself didn't know the answer – or perhaps I didn't want to truly _know_ the honest answer. Instead, I threw out the first logical response that came to mind.

"They couldn't find your body in the rubble with his. You're already dead, already buried."

She took in my excuse, testing it for validity. Thankfully, she accepted it.

_What else didn't Carlisle tell me? Death by fire, your mind-reading abilities. Does Esme have the power to levitate?_

I laughed despite myself; her sarcasm helped to discharge the growing tension between us and allowed some much-needed release from these strange, new emotions surging through my body. The person I was entirely prepared to hate was sitting next to me, holding my hand, and sharing a part of her broken self. Quite frankly, I did not know what to do about all of this - it had been an incredibly trying evening. But I was fairly sure that I wouldn't be able to handle it much longer.

Luckily, a resounding boom stirred me from my internal musings. Something had exploded on the King property, most likely the gunpowder stored in the barn.

"It's time to go back and make sure we left no trace," I said as I rose to my feet, pulling her with me.

_We have to go back?_

"You don't – stay here if you like, but I need to make sure no one suspects foul play. It'll make it easier for our family to leave unnoticed."

She chewed her lip and nodded slowly. I was vaguely aware that I was still holding her hand.

"Do you want to stay here?"

_No. I don't want to be alone right now. _

I gave her a resigned smile. "Okay. Let's get this over with." She squeezed my hand again.

_Thank you, Edward._

I could only nod in response. The sudden feelings behind her thoughts had me completely befuddled. At that moment, Rosalie was silently thanking me for saving her life…for saving her from Royce in a way that neither of us could have ever imagined.


	8. Damage Control

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve, the resounding expert on all things Carlisle! As always, your suggestions (and hilarious comments) make this __**way **__too much fun!_

* * *

We sprinted through the dark forest, hand in hand, until we reached the edge of the King property and studied the murrain scene before us. As we drew nearer, I began to taste the ash in the air from the raging fire. Bits of glowing embers of wood drifted down around us as we continued to move forward, threatening to ignite any dry, combustible foliage; but there were more important matters at hand to be concerned about than the fire spreading to the surrounding landscape.

Rosalie's mind stayed blissfully focused on the task at hand as we crept through the shadows along the edge of the woods. The silence allowed me to more easily search out the thoughts of the King clan as they rushed from the house to investigate the burning outbuildings.

The blast we had heard earlier became quite a fortunate occurrence. Royce's father was the first to approach the barn, and he was now thoroughly convinced that the exploding gunpowder had started the fire, not the opposite.

The shed where Royce had taken his last breath was almost completely gone. Every human who wandered between the two buildings suspected that the smoldering embers from the barn had ignited the shed - most were too distraught to notice that the shed had actually burned first. I had noticed that the human mind, in the event of serious trauma, sometimes simply refused to accept the truth of the situation—it was a remarkable sort of coping mechanism, triggered by stress, and in this case, worked well to our advantage. I was fairly certain our secret would be safe.

Despite our reoccurring bouts of good fortune in hiding the crimes from Royce's family, I remained wary of Rosalie's newly heightened ability to interpret my unconscious reactions to those around me; she would, no doubt, strong-arm me into disclosing her former would-be in-law's thoughts, so I decided it was best that we left the scene immediately rather than to wait for the Kings to discover Royce's remains. Even _I_ did not want to hear their thoughts when the bodies were found. I'd had more than enough mental torment for one evening.

"Let's go," I muttered softly. Rosalie had been watching the buildings burn; she then turned to face me. Even without hearing her thoughts, the compunction written across her delicate features invaded my senses, the light from the flames intensifying the expression.

_I'll never come back here again, will I?_

I closed my eyes, fully feeling the internal anguish that she fought so desperately to hide. I shook my head slowly. "It's best if you don't. We'll be leaving for Appalachia soon, anyway."

She bowed her head and turned away from the place of her earlier carnage. "I'm ready."

_I have nothing else to live for if I can never see my family again._

My cold heart began to ache as I watched images of her parents and brothers play through her mind. She had been able to lock those memories away for the past few days, focusing only on her retribution toward Royce and his friends. Now that she had accomplished that task, she lacked purpose in this new life. I completely sympathized with her sorrow – although Carlisle had his work and Esme her domestic hobbies, I had nothing; and now, neither did Rosalie.

I continued to hold her hand, as we stepped noiselessly into the murky depths of the forest, like unseen specters returning from their haunt. The few humans who knew of me would soon forget I had ever lived in Rochester. Rosalie would be remembered a little longer, her remaining family and friends bereft. But eventually, those who knew her would pass into the next world, and she would become as nameless and invisible as I. Sighing sadly, I let myself slip into the melancholic depths of our combined torment as we left the King family behind forever.

* * *

It was close to midnight when our peripatetic journey finally led us home. Fortunately, Carlisle and Esme had not yet returned from their trip to initiate the relocation process. This provided us some time to clean up and get our story straight.

"I'll let you change first," I said, glancing down at her tattered wedding gown. It was caked in dirt and blood, and singed in a few places. Even with her retribution complete, I automatically knew she would focus on her appearance, sooner rather than later.

Rosalie watched me study her dress, a growing look of worry on her face.

_I look revolting, don't I? _

I sighed and concentrated on keeping my tone even. I wasn't surprised by her thoughts, but I was slightly annoyed with her abrupt change of concern; her prior anxiety over her new, empty life was instantly gone – now she only cared about what she looked like.

"No, but you can't have that on when Carlisle and Esme return." _Plus, I would think she'd want to burn that, as it's covered in Royce's blood._

She rolled her eyes and chastised me. "Don't lie, Edward. It's not very becoming."

I looked back up to her face, gaping openly. What had happened to the sad, broken girl I had comforted just an hour before?

_I told you I can read you like a book – your meretricious-ness is quite apparent, and I know you think I look hideous. Excuse me while I rid myself of this last token of my humanity._

She turned and marched to Carlisle and Esme's room to change, since she had no room of her own. I sat on the couch, cradling my head in my hands as I tried to muddle through everything that had happened in the past few hours. I knew I should concentrate on our alibi, but it was terribly difficult when Rosalie's quickly changing mind begged for my full attention. Still, I had to focus on the task at hand – how much should we reveal to Carlisle? If he hadn't already heard of the fires, he would shortly, and would likely put two and two together. Did I admit to having full knowledge of her plan all along?

_Are you still worrying about what to tell Carlisle?_

My head shot up. Rosalie was standing just a few short feet in front of me, now wearing a more practical dress, yet looking just as breathtaking as before. She had washed the grime from her face and pulled back her blonde locks. It still amazed me that someone as striking as she could have such a need for continual affirmation of her physical appearance.

"Yes." I quickly tucked away that last thought, and instead answered her wordless question. Hopefully nothing on my face had given me away.

"He'll know, won't he?" I expected to see fear in her eyes, but rather, I saw only determination. Guilt and shame were apparently the last two emotions to which Rosalie would ever succumb when dealing with Royce's murder. Her thoughts confirmed that.

"Most likely. What did you do with the dress?"

She glanced back towards the bedroom. "I was going to burn it. I never want to see it again."

_At least I got to wear my wedding dress once. I'll probably never have the occasion to wear one again…_

Her thoughts were bouncing all over the place as she looked back at me.

_You're worried about what Carlisle and Esme will think if they find out you were there. They'll suspect you knew all along._

I dismissed her keen observation for the moment and attempted to return the focus of our conversation to the dress. "Let's take care of that right away. They'll be back soon." I stood and moved towards the bedroom.

_Edward, look at me._

Disregarding her, I retrieved the soiled dress and headed outside.

_Edward, I know you're listening. Don't ignore me!_

"_What? _What, Rosalie? Do you want me to answer everything you throw at me?" I snapped. The trauma of the evening had frayed my nerves, and I was in no mood to play games with her. The sooner we destroyed the dress, the sooner I could prepare my speech and subsequent answers for Carlisle. Then we could all move on and put Rochester and Royce behind us.

She pursed her lips together defiantly, hands on her hips. I waited for her anger to erupt again, focused at me this time. But instead, she stunned me by doing the complete opposite of what I expected. _And_, she gave me no mental warning, intentional or unintentional.

"I'll take the blame, Edward. I owe you that much. Let me explain to Carlisle – he'll believe me. He'll want to believe everything I tell him."

I shook my head in frustration. She was doing a better job of reading my mind than I was with hers, even with my ability. "Fine, whatever you want. Let's just get this over with."

She followed me out and away from the house, where I unceremoniously lit the dress on fire. Once it was nothing more than ashes, I buried them. With the evidence now destroyed, all that remained was facing Carlisle and Esme. I wasn't so sure that they would believe her as wholeheartedly as she thought, so I prepared myself for their disappointment. It wouldn't be the first time I had let them down – I was a far cry from the perfect son they idealized in their heads. It was just another fault I was forced to live with, day in and day out.

Rosalie kept her mind suspiciously guarded with ambiguously safe thoughts as we walked back to the house and awaited the other's return. That made me wonder if she was consciously aware that she could control what I was able to pick out of her head. Certainly, Carlisle and Esme could repress their thoughts, though they rarely had a need to. Rosalie, on the other hand, would most likely use that trick to her advantage once she figured it out. As much as I appreciated not hearing everything running through her tattered mind, it was in all of our best interest that she not edit right away, especially while we were still in Rochester. After all, her lack of censorship had ultimately saved her and the rest of us just hours ago. It was imperative that I see anything potentially threatening. I debated whether to outright ask her, but realized that would clue her in to the possibility of masking her thoughts from me. Yes, it would be best to keep that from her until we were well away from New York.

I had been exuding so much energy searching Rosalie's mind that I almost didn't hear Carlisle and Esme approaching the house. This time, I heard their footsteps before their thoughts. Not a good sign – unusually blank minds were a sure indicator that they knew about Royce's death and wanted to question me outright. As I had guessed, I was suspect immediately.

We waited for them on the front porch. Rosalie had heard their approach as well, and she had removed the veil from her mind, sending me a wave of assurance.

_Let me explain first. They'll believe me._

I refrained from arguing since Carlisle and Esme were now exiting the woods and crossing the clearing to join us at the house.

"Rosalie, Edward. We heard there was a fire at the King residence." Carlisle's tone was guarded, just like his mind. "Were either of you involved?" He looked first at Rosalie, then at me. Esme stood quietly behind him in solidarity.

"Yes, Carlisle. I was." Rosalie looked somewhat remorseful, but more because of her disobedience against Carlisle's orders than the act itself. I saw this through her expression only – she did not share it mentally. If I could read it on her face, then Carlisle could, as well.

He sighed and bowed his head. "Rosalie, you know why we told you _not_ to do this—vengeance has no place in our way of life. That aside, you have now placed us all in a very dangerous position."

"I understand, but please hear me out. I was careful to destroy the evidence. _If _the bodies are found, there will be no way to determine the cause of death - and after what he did to me…" she trailed off, her lower lip now trembling. I wanted to believe she was displaying emotions purely related to the viciousness of her fiancée's attack, but I suspected this was more of an act to appease Carlisle and Esme. Again, her mind was dangerously empty, so I couldn't tell what she was planning to say next.

"I'm ready to leave Rochester now. Please – I just want to put this all behind me. Please don't berate or judge me."

Carlisle studied her for a moment, and I heard the deliberation within his mind. Just like she had predicted, he desperately wanted to believe her; it made everything so much easier. But a part of him still wasn't quite able to let her off the hook for the murders. Thankfully, he didn't know how many people she had murdered – he was blissfully unaware of the guards' deaths.

Then he turned to face me.

_Were you aware of her plan?_

When put on the spot like that, I realized I couldn't lie to him. To do so would make me even more of a soulless monster then I already was. Carlisle and Esme had been so wonderful to me, trying to help me adjust to this unnatural life and pluck whatever goodness from it that we could unearth. I opened my mouth, preparing to admit my involvement, but my hesitant actions alerted Rosalie to my intentions. She instantly stifled me with both her mind and her words.

_Don't admit that you knew!_

"Carlisle, Edward didn't know until I returned just a short while ago. I was on my own all day, and I went to the King residence by myself. Please, don't blame him." She was terribly convincing; Esme bought her act immediately and moved forward to embrace her new daughter. I could hear her softly murmuring words of understanding into Rosalie's ear. Carlisle turned back to me.

"Clearly, she now knows of your ability." He was so observant of most things – how could he not hear the lie in her voice?

"Yes."

He nodded in comprehension. "Have you been to the King property to ensure there is no suspicion?"

Rosalie hadn't been specific with times, so I took a chance. "Yes, a little bit ago. They think the fires were accidental, set off by gunpowder in the barn. No one suspects foul play, but we should still leave for Appalachia as soon as possible." I hated to lie like this, but there was no turning back. I began to think of ways to speed up our move; the faster we left, the sooner Royce could be forgotten, at least by Carlisle and Esme.

He stood silently for a minute, first studying me, then Rosalie, who was still in Esme's arms.

_Edward, I cannot condone her foolish behavior. I would expect that you, out of all of us, can understand why reciprocating evil for evil is wrong, even on the worst of humanity. You will, of course, keep me informed of any future developments._

I swallowed laboriously and nodded in agreement. This was almost worse than admitting involvement with the crimes. What would Carlisle think if he ever knew the truth? Would Rosalie be able to keep up the act? I absolutely hated this guilty feeling that festered uncomfortably, deep in the pit my stomach. Deception was something none of us had necessity for prior to Rosalie's joining the family. How had she so easily convinced me to lie again? I needed to talk to her, to figure all of this out, soon.

And alone.

* * *

_AN: __Looking for a great pre-Twilight, in-canon fanfic? Go check out my beta's story, "In My Power" - Carlisle's tale of how he created each of his family members. Her story is linked in my favorites. Don't forget to review! _


	9. Truth

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve, the resounding expert on all things Carlisle! As always, her suggestions (and hilarious comments) make this __**way **__too much fun!_

* * *

I didn't get my chance to talk to Rosalie in private until after we arrived at our new home in Tennessee. It was late spring, nearly summer in this temperate, southern half of the nation, and everything was so vibrantly green and new. The foliage in this part of the country was drastically different from what I had become accustomed to in the north – towering, deciduous trees peppered the hazy mountains, creating a glorious canopy for the ferns and vines that flourished beneath. The newly created Great Smoky Mountains National Park conveniently lay at our doorstep, rich with both the breathtaking natural flora as well as a surplus of adequate nourishment for our unique little family. Carlisle could not have chosen a better place to relocate to; there were absolutely no reminders of Rochester or the life we had left behind.

Once we were settled in our modest countryside home, I took immediate advantage of our first separation from Carlisle and Esme.

"Rosalie, we need to talk."

She sat across from me in the front room, flipping through a local newspaper. Upon hearing my question, she raised her chiseled face, meeting my gaze with her ever-changing eyes. Though still a light shade of crimson, flecks of amber were now more predominant in her irises. Rosalie continued to demonstrate amazing control for a newborn and had not been tempted to seek out another human since Royce and his friends - none of whose blood had graced her slender throat. Her eyes would undoubtedly be a beautiful shade of ocher by Christmas if she continued to control her thirst.

_About what?_

Since our hasty retreat from Rochester, Rosalie had been habitually refraining from answering me out loud. She preferred to communicate silently, though she never revealed her true reason for that preference. I was, inherently, too caught up in my own recent musings to care one way or the other.

"About what happened in Rochester. What we told, or rather _didn't_ tell Carlisle and Esme." I actually had at least a dozen other things I wanted to talk to her about, but I suspected it would be better if I chose my battles wisely and started with the more important topics.

Rosalie sighed dramatically, lowering the paper to her lap and leaning forward slightly.

_Which do you want to discuss first?_

I swallowed down my annoyance, her contumely rifling my nerves. "I didn't like lying to Carlisle."

_I realize that. But it's too late now. What's done is done – can't you just let it go?_

"If you slip up, and he were to find out the truth…" I began.

_Edward, why would I tell him after the fact that you helped me? _

Did I enlighten her with the truth; that I didn't completely trust her? "I just need to know where we stand on all of this." I opted for the safer response instead.

Rosalie stared intently at me for a moment, then stood.

_You don't trust me, do you?_

It was at moments like this that I swore she had the same talent as I…she was just brilliant at hiding it

"No, that's not it."

_Liar. Trust works both ways, Edward._

She had taken a few steps forward, seemingly to challenge me both physically as well as mentally. It was quite unnerving, and I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to force her out of her comfort zone.

"Can we continue this discussion verbally, please?" My tone irrevocably belied my frustration, but I didn't care.

"Of course. What I _thought_ was that trust works both ways. You refuse to admit that you don't trust me, which is basically the same thing as lying to me. So, you're unwilling to trust my words and actions, and in doing so, you give me no reason to place my trust in you." She had taken another step closer - now looking down at me. "So it would appear that _you're_ the untrustworthy one, not me."

I stood quickly, venom beginning to stream down the back of my throat as my anger exploded. "Why do you have to be like this?"

Rosalie squared her shoulders, simultaneously wiping her mind clean of any betraying thoughts. I was now positive that she had figured out how to mask her mind when she didn't want me to see what she was thinking. Surprisingly, her voice remained even as she answered my question.

"Like what, exactly? I told you, I will not betray your secret – if you won't believe that, then there's nothing I can do to convince you." She focused intently on my face. "If it's not too much to ask, I'd rather we put this miserable subject behind us, once and for all."

I was opening my mouth, preparing to spout off some malicious retort when the floodgates of her mind flew open, literally pushing me backwards.

_I thought you understood. You were the one so hell-bent on getting me out of Rochester for my own sanity, like you knew what was best for helping me move on. That's why I defended you. And that's why I won't betray your trust or stoop so low as to let Carlisle know of your involvement. But maybe I was wrong to jump to the conclusion that you actually understood and cared – that you actually empathized with what I've been through._

Her defensive posture had slipped a few notches – shoulders now hunching forward in the slightest hint of defeat, just like before, in the shed after she had killed Royce. I was witnessing her self-doubt all over again. She was fighting back the emotions that churned within her – regret, overwhelming grief, anger. It rendered me speechless.

_Can we _please _just leave Royce and Rochester behind us forever?_ _Can you give me just that one, small sliver of peace in this wretched new life? _

She was right – I had helped her rid herself of at least a portion of her painful burden, yet here I was, pouring salt on the wounds I had wanted to heal. _How dare I do this to her._

"I'm sorry." I hung my head in shame. "It's just that...I'm not used to _this_." How did I describe _this_? The culmination of trusting a new family member, of learning to live with her; yet having her also be someone I was charged with entertaining, or baby-sitting, or _falling in love with_? Carlisle and Esme's hopes kept flashing through my mind, taunting me every second of the day. They continued to observe us closely, looking for the slightest hint that we were becoming more than cold, distant siblings to one another. The pressure was excruciating.

I felt Rosalie watching me as I studied the floor, lost in my own turbulent thoughts, waiting silently for either her acceptance of my pitiful apology, or more wrath.

_I want to go for a walk._

I looked up and nodded, dismissing her. She looked at me quizzically, the tiniest hint of a smile crossing her delicate features.

_Won't you join me?_

I faltered for a second, debating my options. Part of me craved solitude, even just for an hour. Some time to clear my head, acclimate to my new surroundings at my own pace. But then I felt that strange sensation all over again, the very one that I had been desperately ignoring since Rosalie had awoken into immortality. It festered deep within me, a befuddling sort of anxiousness, accompanied by the overwhelming urge to please and be near her. I shook my head quickly, trying to rid my conscious of this unfamiliar emotion, attributing it to the sense of guilt that had plagued me since she opened her mind during our minor quarrel.

"Yes," I replied to her mental question before realizing I was making such a decision. _What was wrong with me?_

Her mood had shifted faster than the spring wind that raced through the nearby valleys. Rosalie was no longer defensive and angry. Instead, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm and serenity flow from her mind as she reached for my hand. I twitched unconsciously at her warm touch when her fingertips brushed mine.

_I'm not going to bite you, Edward._

My eyes narrowed, somewhat bothered that she had caught my involuntary reaction _and_ called me out on it. It was hard enough, dealing alone with these peculiar emotions that were brought on merely by her presence – the last thing I wanted was an audience.

"After you," I finally choked out.

Rosalie's smile widened, and although she tried to keep her next thought from me, I was still able to catch the majority of it.

_He's nervous around me…_

I sucked in a sharp breath, instantly searching for something in her thoughts to quantify this observation, but she was faster than I was. The steel gates slammed shut, effectively locking me out of her mind.

I blurted out my frustration before I realized what I was saying. "You know, you're getting quite good at blocking me." The moment the words left my lips, I cringed, completely regretting them.

Rosalie wasn't fazed in the least. "I know," she answered sardonically before pulling me gently towards the front door.

My mind was twitching in shock. _She knew. _As she led me down the front steps and across the plush yard towards the sloping hill to the east, I struggled with this latest bit of information. Although Carlisle and Esme were able to keep me out of their minds, I had never inquired exactly how they were able to do so. Now I had to know, if for no other reason than to better understand this impossibly talented being that was guiding me into the nearby forest.

"Care to explain how you're so easily able to shut me out?"

She chuckled and squeezed my hand. "The all-knowing Edward has to stoop to ask me that?" Turning towards me, she studied my apprehensive expression. "You honestly don't know?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Hmm."

I grimaced in frustration. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rosalie pursed her lips together, looking away. I tried to scan her thoughts again, but she still had her mental wall in place, successfully keeping me out.

"Nothing."

I rolled my eyes. "Who's not trusting who, now?"

"Trust has nothing to do with this."

"How so?"

She stopped and turned to face me, releasing my hand. The sudden lack of physical connection was strangely disappointing, and I frowned involuntarily. "Your talent allows you access to things that none of the rest of us ever see or hear; things we should _never_ know about one another. What makes you think that I automatically have to tell you everything? You certainly refrain from sharing all of your thoughts with me."

That was definitely true, but I downplayed her observation. "Not always."

"Then tell me what you really think of me. Right now."

I instantly regretted goading her earlier. How was I supposed to answer that?

_Don't lie – remember, I'll know._

Her mind opened for a split-second, then closed again. How was she able to do that so effortlessly? That gave me an idea.

"I'll make you a deal – you tell me how you're able to block me so easily, and I'll answer your question in return."

She studied me for a moment before agreeing one way or the other. "You first."

I sighed exasperatedly. "Must everything be a battle with you?"

"Edward, you started this conversation. Therefore, I think it's only fair you go first. Plus, I need to determine if you're truly being honest before I divulge the secrets to my only talent."

I didn't know how to proceed. I desperately wanted to know how she was keeping me out of her head - the challenge was simply too tempting to ignore. But I also had to word my response to her earlier question very carefully, because I, myself, wasn't quite sure what I thought of her anymore. My initial perception was still somewhat valid – Rosalie was insecure at times, concerned with vanity far more than most people, and quick-tempered. But there was more now - assenting traits and qualities I hadn't seen until that fateful night in Rochester.

Rosalie may have appeared to be shallow and conceited on the surface, but underneath that were the makings of a complex creature. Intelligent, for sure. Strong-willed and determined. Someone searching for happiness and contentment. I couldn't blame her for her faults – her discontentment at becoming immortal mirrored my own internal turmoil, and so I found myself relating to a fair number of her personality traits. Should I share that with her?

I took a deep breath before speaking, controlling my tone and expression fully, so as to not make her suspicious that I was holding anything back.

"Rosalie, I think you're tenacious in your resolve. Obviously, you are very smart, though you only reveal that trait when it serves your own purposes." I paused, gauging her reaction. It was as blank as I hoped mine was_. Such an actress._ "But I also think you're unsatisfied with the cards you've been dealt, entirely malcontent with this new life, but also…with your human life as well." I was taking a huge risk calling her out on that last revelation. I waited anxiously for her response.

"Is that all, Edward?"

I frowned, hastily surmising a plan. Continue on, or refrain from sharing everything?

Rosalie jutted her chin out stubbornly, resulting in a hard look. That quickly made the decision for me.

"I can relate to you."

Unconsciously I glanced down at my feet, not in an attempt to appear theatrical, but rather, to keep my stoic expression from breaking. I heard her take in a sharp breath, and I chanced a tentative glimpse back up at her.

Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung slightly open. She was perfectly still; a mythical statue, completely out of place on a hillside in Appalachia. I searched her mind, but she was still blocking me, which made it impossible to determine if I had said too much, inevitably causing more strife…or perhaps my words had given her a little bit of peace.

The silence between us grew longer, more pronounced. Still, Rosalie did not move. I couldn't stand not knowing what she was thinking. So I said the only thing I could think of that would break her from the spell.

"Well, that, and you've got quite a temper." I chuckled lightly at my own words.

Her mouth closed immediately, her hands moving to her hips in a stance of feminine power. Finally, she spoke.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised at your last statement, since I asked you for the truth." She then turned and proceeded to march down the hill, leaving me behind.

Had I revealed too much? Was she upset by the temper comment, or my prior statement about relating to her pain? I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, wondering, first, if I had done something wrong, and second, why I even cared. After all, she had asked for the truth, and I gave it to her.

But this diminutive, pesky voice deep inside of me pleaded for just one answer. I had opened myself to her…_what would she do with that tiny bit of shared commonality between us?_

* * *

_AN: Okay, for all of you readers out there who are getting a little antsy for something "juicy" to happen, your patience will be rewarded – SOON. As in the next chapter! Sorry it took this long, but letting Rosalie break Edward too quickly just wouldn't be right now, would it? _

_Looking for a great pre-Twilight, in-canon fanfic? Go check out my beta's story, "In My Power" - Carlisle's tale of how he created each of his family members. Don't forget to review! _


	10. Head Games

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve. In "Rawr" we trust._

* * *

Instead of chasing after her, I returned to the house, settling myself on the front porch swing, overlooking the expanse of lush forest that we had just amiably walked through an hour before, _together_. I tried to convince myself that I wasn't keeping an eye out for her, though even with my exceptional sight, it would be next to impossible to spot her through the thick foliage that led down towards a streambed that peacefully snaked along the valley floor . What did it matter where she went; when she returned? _It doesn't, _I told myself. _Quit watching for her. _

Sighing loudly, I looked away from the woods, leaning back on the swing as I let my gaze drift upwards to the partly-cloudy sky. Carlisle usually relocated us further north, where bright days were less prevalent, therefore allowing us to more easily partake in normal, human activities. But this move had been different – we had isolated ourselves more than usual, away from any heavily populated areas, taking up residence deep in the Appalachian mountains. I wondered if Carlisle was well aware of the pleasant weather in the area, purposely choosing to move to a place where there was an abundance of sunny days. Maybe he assumed the sunlight would help cure Rosalie of her mood swings.

I rocked quietly, watching the clouds go by for an indeterminable amount of time. I tried to not let my thoughts continually circle back to our earlier conversation, but my internal vacillation refused to disappear. Her parting words kept playing in my head.

_I guess I shouldn't be surprised at that last statement, since I asked you for the truth. _

I scanned the area quickly, trying to pick up her current thoughts, but I heard nothing. She had either traveled beyond the range of my talent, or she was still effectively blocking me from her mind. _How does she do that? _Suddenly, I remembered that she still owed me an answer to that question, though, gauging from her earlier response, I had best not expect her to provide that detail anytime soon.

_Edward, are you here alone?_

Carlisle's thoughts abruptly rang through my head. He was approaching the house and had heard the faint creaking of the swing chains. I glanced back up at the sky, noting that the sun was much lower – evening was rapidly approaching.

"Yes, Carlisle," I called out to the north, knowing he would easily hear me.

_Where's Rosalie?_

I unconsciously shrugged my shoulders in response, not trusting my voice to mask the annoyance I was feeling at that moment.

A few seconds later, Carlisle appeared from the grove of trees, his skin sparkling the moment he stepped from the dark shadows and into a stray sunbeam.

"Esme?" I inquired quietly of her absence, looking over to him as he strolled up to the porch.

_She's exploring an old, abandoned cabin that she spotted from the top of a ridge after we finished hunting. Where is Rosalie?_

I stopped the swing and stood, steeling myself physically as well as mentally in preparation for answering Carlisle's question.

"She went for a walk down in the valley." I gestured to my right, indicating her direction. I did not elaborate further.

Carlisle studied me warily for a moment, then dropped his gaze and nodded.

_How is she adjusting?_

"Fine, or so it appears."

_She has had thoughts that contradict her outward acceptance of her new life?_

I pressed my lips together into a grimace, not wanting to answer that question. It still irked me that I didn't know how she continually barred me from her mind.

His suspecting gaze returned to my face when I did not answer immediately.

_Son, what have you heard?_

I momentarily thought back to the lies I had been forced to tell right before we left Rochester, and how terrible it had felt. I simply couldn't do it again.

"Carlisle, that's the problem – she's figured out how to block me, voluntarily keep me out of her head, whenever _she _chooses." I reached up to rub my temples in frustration. "I asked her how she did it, but she hasn't told me yet…" I refrained from detailing the rest of our conversation on the hillside.

"I know you and Esme have the ability to mask your thoughts when you want. How do you do it? Is it as easy as she's making it seem?" I questioned desperately.

"Yes, and no," he replied. "At first, it took me a while to figure out that I _could_ block you. I would focus on something intensely, building a kind of mental 'wall,' if you will. But even after successfully blocking you from my thoughts, I still found myself constantly slipping up, the immense amount of concentration necessary for such a feat made the wall difficult to keep up and in place. It's not easy to learn, but with practice, the trick becomes easier to manage."

"And is it the same for Esme?"

A small smile played onto Carlisle's face. "Well, you'd have to ask _her_ to get a detailed answer. From my personal understanding, it's relatively the same process, though she would most likely tell you that she rarely has a reason to keep you from her mind."

I nodded slowly in understanding, but this still didn't answer my burning question. Recognizing my aggravation, Carlisle shot me a crystal-clear thought.

_She has talents we have yet to fully comprehend, Edward. For a newborn, her self-control is quite remarkable. That's probably why she's so easily able to block you._

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right - her talents continued to increasingly surface. However, along with the impressive abilities came the feeling that she was always two steps ahead of me, calculating her next move as I fought, frantically, just to understand her last one. Again, Carlisle sensed my fretfulness, correctly guessing the problem.

_Are you two getting along well enough?_

I opened my mouth to respond, then quickly closed it. _What's the best way to answer this? _Complete candor, or the 'less is more' approach? Why did it seem that most of his questions pertaining to Rosalie instantly provoked me to be less than truthful?

"Yes." The word came out reactively, before I could fully think through my response. Apparently, a part of me wasn't ready to expound on my increasingly strange relationship with her.

_Don't push her away, Edward. You don't have to feel so alone in this world…_

I instinctively growled at that last thought. "No, Carlisle. I told you, I will treat her as a sibling, that's all. You cannot expect more than that."

"I'm sorry, son. Please understand, I'm only trying to help you."

"I don't need that sort of _help_," I seethed. I didn't want to be so angry at him – a part of me knew he was speaking the truth, thinking only of my best interest. But a larger part of me reacted immediately, taking offense at the very suggestion that my relationship with Rosalie might evolve into something more than simple friendship. I turned on my heel, walking off the porch and around the house. I needed to hunt _now_ - and lose myself from all thoughts of _her._

* * *

It was approaching midnight when I drained the last buck. I sat back, sated, yet also sickeningly full of herbivore blood. I propped myself up against a large oak and stared blankly out across the dark valley. Despite the welcome distraction of the hunt, my mind mischievously tip-toed back to thoughts of Rosalie.

I started replaying our last conversation through my head again, re-analyzing her words and occasional thoughts. Admittedly, I was searching for patterns, little details I had missed that might clue me into what made her tick. But I was just as befuddled as before, attempting to decipher the enigma of Rosalie's mind.

My internal musings were unexpectedly interrupted by a very loud, intruding feminine voice in my head.

_Fancy finding you here._

It was Rosalie – and she was close by. I scrambled to stand up, ashamed at being caught, sitting alone in the dark and thinking about _her_. I was still quite flustered and caught off-guard, even after reminding myself that she did not share the same talent as I, and couldn't possibly know what I had been thinking about.

"Edward," a musical voice rang out from behind me, deep within the foliage of the valley. I spun around, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. After a moment, I detected a sliver of white between two large trees as she gracefully strolled into view.

I met her gaze as evenly as I could, watching her flowing movements carefully for an indication of her mood, since she had closed her mind to me immediately after her last thought. She appeared relaxed and at ease; her expression relatively serene. Despite these observations, I waited warily for her to speak first.

She stopped just a foot and a half from me, sizing me up for a moment before glancing down at the carcass that still lay at my feet.

"Hunting?" The superciliousness in her voice cut through the air like a heavy battle axe. I didn't care for her tone at all, and my annoyance mounted as I saw her chin rise ever so slightly, almost like she was peering down her nose at me.

"Obviously."

"Well, then, I should leave you to that." She started to turn back in the direction she had come from.

I spoke out unconsciously. "I'm finished." _Why did I say that?_

Rosalie stopped and turned back to me, a suspicious grin growing on her face. "I see." She glanced up at the blanket of stars above us. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

"Edward, why the attitude?"

I fought to think through my response before blurting out the first answer that came to mind. "I really don't know what you're talking about, Rosalie. I am simply a mirror, reflecting your apparent pomposity."

She nodded slightly, a twinkle in her eyes. "Touché. But seriously, you seem…agitated. What's wrong?"

A sense of dubiety crept into my bones. Why did she care? Regardless, I wasn't about to truthfully answer that, but I _did_ want the promised answer to the question I had posed earlier that day.

"I kept up my part of the bargain today – now it's your turn."

Rosalie laughed merrily. "Oh yes, you want to know how I'm keeping you out of my head. Tell me, can you hear what I'm thinking right now?"

Although she had kept me out during this entire conversation, I decided to check again. Scanning her mind, I still heard _nothing. _I clenched my teeth in irritation before admitting to her trick.

"No."

Her smile grew. "How about now?"

_You know, Edward, you're quite urbane when you choose to be. However, I get the sense that you'd really like to tell me exactly what is on your mind – shed that golden-boy persona once in awhile. Am I correct?_

I reflexively pinched the bridge of my nose. "Wouldn't you like to know," I mocked.

"Please, tell me. Go ahead – be honest. After all, it's only fair, since you can hear what I'm really thinking."

"But therein lies the problem, Rosalie. I _can't _hear what you're thinking, unless you want me to. How are you so easily able to do that?"

She continued to smile – no, smirk at me, the smug expression causing my temper to simmer even more. "You're saying that I'm the only one you've encountered who can keep you out of their head? Carlisle and Esme don't have that talent?"

"Answer the question, Rose." I could hear the mounting snarl in my voice.

"Rose?" She cocked her head to the side, scrutinizing me even more closely now. She had closed her mind as soon as she permitted the last thought through, so I was blind once again from her internal musings. "You called me Rose?"

Although I wanted to steer her back to the question she obviously refused to answer, I had the sneaking suspicion that I had crossed some invisible line by condensing her name down to one syllable. "What?"

Suddenly she fully opened her mind, allowing me access to particular memories of her family and friends calling her Rose. She liked the nickname and associated it's use with those individuals she was most fond of. Not surprisingly, Royce had _never_ called her Rose. I tried to discern if she was pleased or angry that I had inadvertently used the special moniker, but her feelings on that matter were very much unresolved at that moment. So I decided to ask her outright.

"Would you rather I not call you 'Rose'?"

She pressed her lips together in thought, her mind simultaneously closing once again. "No, it's fine. Though I must admit, I'm not used to hearing it with such an obnoxious _tone_."

"You continue to avoid the question that you _promised_ to answer. I will gladly drop the distasteful_ tone_ once you keep your end of the bargain." Despite our less-than endearing manner towards one another, I felt an underlying current of playfulness flowing between us – I suspected she was enjoying this little game. _But was I? _

Before I could really ponder that latest revelation, she gave me exactly what I wanted.

"As you wish, dear Edward. It's rather simple, really. I just focus on _not _letting you into my head." She took a small step towards me, her gaze that had been steadily holding my eyes now drifted slightly downward, focusing on my mouth. I instinctively held my breath and froze as she leaned forward, inadvertently closing the gap between us. Now her exquisite face was just inches from mine as she continued to study my features. I swallowed painfully before answering as non-chalantly as I could.

"That easy, huh? No slip-ups?"

Rosalie laughed again, her warm breath washing over my face. As I involuntarily inhaled, I realized how gloriously sweet she smelled. _How had I not noticed her scent before? _"You tell me – have you heard something that you think I didn't _want_ you to hear?"

She leaned in even further as her gaze left my lips and traveled back up to my eyes. I found myself mesmerized by her crimson stare, unable to peel myself away, even if I had wanted to. The small hairs on the back of my neck were rising, and I felt a slight tickle of electricity jolt through me as I stuttered out a reply.

"N - No."

"Then I guess I'm not slipping up. To use your brilliantly honest observations from earlier today, I presume that my 'tenacity' has something to do with my control – when I set my mind to something, it's nearly impossible for me to fail."

As she whispered, she remained perfectly at ease, her full lips less than an inch away from mine. My senses were quickly becoming overloaded by her presence, her scent continuing to wash over me, bringing on a faint sense of vertigo. Her melodic voice kept me in a stupor, and her eyes…they entranced me like Medusa herself.

I tried to break the spell by shaking my head slightly, but my body was betraying my wishes at an alarming rate. The command given to my feet, to step backwards, was completely ignored, as was the one to my hands, ordering them to reach up and push her out of my personal space. I couldn't move – and I could barely focus on her words, even though my mind was screaming at me to evaluate her last revelation. For a fleeting second, rational thought won out, and I wondered if she was being completely honest. But just as quickly as my attention flickered away from the temptress that stood before me, it returned hastily back to her, spurred on by a very powerful thought that radiated from her now-open mind.

_Really Edward, aren't you happy to _not_ hear everything that I think? _

"Not particularly," I replied before realizing what I had said.

_Well then, I'll have to work on letting you in more often._

Rosalie leaned her head forward, never breaking the powerful stare between us as I felt her lips barely brush mine. An all-out war erupted inside of me, my lucid mind now pitted against my traitorous body. One screamed at the other to move backwards; to flee this bizarre assault, but my feet refused to obey. Meanwhile, my hands were struggling to move from their frozen positions against the side of my body, _desperately _wanting to reach out and touch her. But, thankfully, they were over-ruled by the last shred of my functioning mind. The end result was every cell of my body remaining locked in place, unable to move either towards or away from her.

Slowly, she pulled back, giving me no chance to act on either of my desires. Another wave of confusion swept over me, and I began to feel like my body would tear itself in half as it fought to do something, _anything_ in reaction to her forwardness.

But just as soon as the encounter had started, it was over. Rosalie stepped back, winked at me, then turned and ran off into the darkness.

* * *

**Please review and let me know what you think!**


	11. Confrontation

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve. _

* * *

After my arcane encounter with Rosalie the night before, I fled, disgusted with myself for being such a cowardly absconder. It didn't matter that she had initiated the kiss – I was the one who had allowed it to take place, unable to respond one way or another. I should have stopped her; I should have done _something. _But her bravado had rooted me to the ground, inadvertently destroying every last shred of reason from my appallingly tattered mind.

Returning home, I instantly sought refuge in my Steinway, shifting through piles of sheet music, finally settling on a morbid Chopin Prelude that seemed to best suit my current mood. I pushed all thoughts and memories of _her _from my mind, focusing intently on the consonance of every note that I coaxed from the piano, performing the piece much slower than dictated in a mad effort to distract myself from everything except the music.

Thankfully, Rosalie did not return home after running off into the woods, and Carlisle and Esme were also suspiciously absent. Although I had no reservations about performing in front of my family in the past, Rosalie had still not witnessed my musical skills, and I planned to keep it that way for as long as possible – it was one of the few remaining outlets of release that I, blissfully, still had to myself. After last night's scandalous act, I could only imagine what trick she'd pull after finding me completely absorbed in front of my one true love.

Peaceful hours passed as I repeated the simple Prelude over and over again. The monotony acted as a panacea, healing all of the suppressed anxiety in my head and effortlessly lulling me into a satisfying, mental stupor. I gradually became aware of the physical stress draining from my body as well; tension in my shoulders dissipated, my rigid back beginning to relax and flow with the music. Finally, I was in a state of tranquility.

I was actually startled when Carlisle's voice unexpectedly rang out in my wonderfully vagrant head. He was nearing the house, oddly alone.

_Good morning, son. I'm so glad to hear you playing again._

Very faintly, I caught a glimpse of a regretful thought drift through his mind, but before I could focus on it, he successfully locked it away. Carlisle's act of consciously blocking me raised my hackles more than the mysterious thought itself. _Why was everyone suddenly blocking me?_

I withheld an instinctual growl, instead, pounding the keys of the Steinway, venting my frustration over everything that was _wrong_ in this new locale. Secretly, I wished for the simpler existence my life had been just a month before.

The front door opened quietly, and Carlisle slipped through it noiselessly, his distinct scent the only indication of his presence.

"Where's Esme?" I asked tightly while continuing to play.

_We ran into Rosalie a few miles away – she and Esme decided to go explore the mountains together. Esme saw it as an opportune time for a mother/daughter excursion._

I clenched my jaw in annoyance, though I couldn't pinpoint the source of my aggravation. I was still angry with myself for the earlier confrontation with Rosalie, angry at Carlisle for locking me out of his head, and now angry that Esme was growing closer to _her_.

_Is something wrong, Edward?_

"No." I refrained from elaborating. The last thing I wanted to discuss was my foul mood.

I waited for Carlisle to ask another question, but instead, he appraised me assiduously. Though he may not have a mind-reading talent such as my own, Carlisle was quite good at deciphering my disposition, and subsequent train of thought, through my body language alone. No matter how hard I tried to act nonchalant around my father, I was never able to fool him.

Just as his mouth moved to speak, I bolted up from the piano and fled towards the front door, unwilling to endure Carlisle's inquisition.

"I'll be back later." Admittedly, I was being rude, but I simply couldn't muster any other explanation at that moment. I took Carlisle's silence as obligatory acceptance.

* * *

My attempt at escape was foiled immediately when I ran straight into Rosalie and Esme. I had been jogging down the narrow road leading away from our house, taking advantage of the pre-dawn hours. We had yet to encounter a human in this rural area, but I still remained cognizant of my appearance in the sunlight, and stringently avoided the road during the daytime.

Just a few miles from our home, Rosalie and Esme were casually strolling along, talking animatedly. For a split-second, I debated whether to duck off into the woods to prevent our paths from crossing, but I was growing weary of running from everyone.

_Oh, Edward! Were you looking for us?_

"Hello, Esme." I kept my voice even as I addressed my mother. "No, just out enjoying the morning air."

"It's wonderful, isn't it? I love this time of year – everything new and fresh – the rebirth of nature never ceases to amaze me."

Although I felt Rosalie's stare fixated on me, I refused to glance over at her, instead, smiling politely at Esme. "I couldn't agree more."

She turned to Rosalie, patting her arm affectionately before giving her a knowing look.

_You know dear, spring is also the season for love._

I reflexively coughed, choking on my own venom as Esme's thought hit me full-force. _What was she doing?_ I was utterly shocked that she had the audacity to think such a foul notion, _especially_ while looking so pointedly at Rosalie. There was no doubt of her intentions – and, judging by their smug expressions, I immediately realized what they had been discussing prior to my appearance. _Had Rosalie disclosed our prior… encounter?_

Before I could react, Esme turned to me once more, embracing me in a warm hug.

"I'll leave you two alone," she whispered in my ear, though I had no doubt that Rosalie heard every word. My body remained rigid, even as Esme squeezed me tenderly before departing off through the woods towards home.

I remained still, my eyes glazed over as I processed every prior word and non-verbal movement of the two women. After several minutes I felt something brush my arm.

"Edward, are you okay?" Rosalie inquired softly. As soon as she spoke, I realized she was touching me again, lightly resting her fingertips at my elbow. Involuntarily, I flinched and jumped back before meeting her crimson stare.

"What are you –" I began, the fury seething from my mouth. "I – what…what did you _tell _her?" Finally, I spat the words out.

_What did I tell her? I told her lots of things._

She had unlocked her thoughts. Rosalie's expression was unreadable, but the haughtiness was crystal-clear in the tone of her mental reply.

"Can you be more specific?"

_Sure. I told her about my last hunt, and how I spotted two newborn bear cubs up on the ridge. But they were much too precious to kill – I decided to spare them, and went after a few white-tails instead._

"That's not what I meant," I growled lowly.

_No? Well, we also discussed the old cabin that she found – in fact, she took me to it. Quite a nice, excluded little getaway…I'm sure Esme and Carlisle will find it to be most useful, especially when you're in one of your picayune moods._

I was ready to snap as I squeezed my fists together. Rosalie smiled brightly, apparently enjoying her little game. Obviously, she was side-stepping my question _again_, leaving me no choice but to be blunt.

"Did you tell her what you did to me?"

Rosalie's eyes grew wide and the self-satisfied smile quickly disappeared. "What _I_ did to you? I didn't do anything, Edward."

I huffed loudly, shaking my head in disgust. "You _kissed_ me!"

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

_That's what you're worried about? It was no big deal._

"No big deal…?" my voice deflated quickly in confusion as I repeated her thought.

_And no, I did not specifically tell Esme about our little moment. You really don't trust me at all, do you?_

Glancing down at the ground, I shook my head in resignation. My anger was rapidly defusing, despite my dire attempt to remain irate at her arrogance. I simply couldn't keep up with her.

"Edward – why don't you trust me?" I looked up to find her gazing wistfully at me, the prior superciliousness completely vanished from her face.

Grappling for the correct retort, I unconsciously blinked before responding. "Rose, I just…" _I just _what_? _Even _I _didn't know what I was feeling at the moment. Did I really not trust her? Or, more importantly, did I _want_ to trust her? My mind refused to surrender the straightforward answer. Instead, I posed my own question.

"So kissing me was no big deal?"

Finally, I had turned the tables. When asked frankly about her actions, Rosalie was left speechless. As much as I wanted to gloat over my miniscule victory, I refrained, standing quietly, waiting with bated breath for her response.

She shifted, obviously uncomfortable with the change of direction in our outlandish conversation. I watched her unconsciously purse her lips together as she peered over to the right, unable to look me in the eyes. Eventually, she sighed in exasperation before fully opening her thoughts to me.

_I didn't mean that it was no big deal – I just thought you'd be more worried about me disclosing more intimate details than that._

"What's that supposed to mean?"

_I know you don't want them to know about…our discussions. You want them to continue to think you despise me._

Rosalie finally looked back up at me, her eyes clouded and poignant.

How could I have forgotten her shrewd observation skills? Suddenly, I found myself backpedaling. "No, I don't despise you. I just…don't need anyone's _help_ or guidance right now, telling me what's best for _me_. I think I can figure that out on my own."

_But you don't really care for my company, do you?_

I rolled my eyes, eliciting a tiny grin from her.

_Then let's go back to my first question. Why don't you trust me?_

"It's not that I don't trust you, or care for your company – I just don't _understand_ you, Rose. Your moods change direction faster than a school of fish. One minute, you're aloof and completely self-absorbed; the next you're – _kissing_ me!"

"I could say the same about your temperamental nature, _Edward_." Her voice contained a thinly veiled taunt, and her eyes once again danced puckishly.

Reaching up, I rubbed my temples in protest to her wicked words while walking slowly in a circle. Abruptly, I remembered she still owed me an answer. "Wait, let's go back to _my_ question for a second. Tell me – why did you kiss me?"

She cocked her head to the side, appraising me momentarily. "You said last night that you actually _wanted _to hear what I was really thinking, correct?"

"Would you just answer the question already?" I griped.

_Fine. I kissed you because I wanted to - ever since you rescued me from the burning shed; though back then, it was more out of gratitude. I know the real reason why Carlisle changed me – I was meant to be your _mate._ Esme told me everything. Funny, no one bothered to ask me first if I was even _attracted _to someone as arrogant as you. But here we are – both of us stuck together, for better or worse. And as much as I detest your egotistical nature, I just had to know what it would be like…_

My jaw hung open in absolute shock. Before I could respond, her stream of thought continued.

_You look surprised, Edward. Did you honestly think I haven't been listening to Carlisle and Esme's discussions about us? They really don't make much attempt to keep them private – I assume that was done on purpose._

I stared blankly at her for several seconds before finally finding my voice.

"I told them they couldn't play matchmaker like that, forcing us together against our wills."

_Oh, I know. But what's done is done – I'm here now, and it's just the two of us. _

The anger from earlier started to build inside of me again. "You want that too, don't you? You...want…"

_Of course, it's crossed my mind. _

"I'm not some _toy _that you can play with, Rosalie." Venom filled my mouth, my jaw clenching and unclenching instinctively from the insurmountable levels of stress that coursed through me.

_I never said that, Edward. But look at it from my perspective – what if we tried to…"_

"No!" I hissed. There was no way I'd ever consider such a thing. Not with her, not with _anyone_ that wasn't of my own choosing. I couldn't take it anymore – she had pushed me right to the edge with her blatantly candid thoughts, revealing that she was practically in cohorts with the rest of my family. I didn't need this – I didn't need _anyone_, especially not her.

Whipping around, I started to stalk down the road, away from the house. A plan was already formulating in my mind. I'd leave again, venture out on my own. It was the only way to find peace from everyone who thought they knew what was best for me. But would they let me go? Maybe I'd just avoid them all, hunting on my own, locking myself away in my room; I'd do anything but go along with their fanatical obsession to push us together.

_Edward, wait! Don't leave._

"We're done, Rosalie," I muttered under my breath, not bothering to stop or look back.

_Just tell me one thing. Please?_

"What?" I threw up my arms in exasperation and turned around.

"Tell me the truth – you felt something last night when I kissed you, didn't you?" Rosalie's voice trailed off on the last two words, barely audible, even to me. My brow furrowed instantly, my lips curling back into an ugly snarl.

"Not at all." I said, before turning my back to her and racing off into the breaking dawn.

I lied.

* * *

_Please review - I love to hear what you think of the story! _

_Also, I have started building a play list for "Betrothed". Obviously, the music is not set to the era of the story, but these songs seemed to fit with Edward/Rosalie's emotions and angst, so I linked them in my profile for your enjoyment. I'm dating myself a bit, but the songs still hold up, even if some of them are nearly as old as Emmett!_


	12. The Cabin

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve. Thanks for the "Rawr" pins! _

* * *

It was weeks before we spoke again. Spring was turning to summer, and the temperatures drastically alternated between muggy days and cool, damp nights. Although the climate changes had no effect on me physically, the sweltering humidity seemed to increasingly dampen my mood, trapping me in a deep melancholy as the fracture within our family refused to mend. I consciously avoided Rosalie whenever possible, and thankfully, she seemed to steer clear of me as well, which worked out well since I had no desire to address our last quarrel.

I began hunting for days at a time, listening carefully upon my return to Carlisle and Esme's thoughts to determine when I could snatch a few welcome hours of alone time at the house. Once more, Rosalie's mind was completely walled off from me; I wouldn't even know she was living with us if it were not for the memory of that one night playing over and over in my traumatized head.

One particularly warm afternoon, I quietly snuck out the backdoor to escape for the evening. My wanderings led me south of the house, in a direction I did not normally travel. Heading up the side of a steep mountain, I eventually found myself on a plateau overlooking the vast range of the Smoky Mountains. The sun was still rather high in the sky, so I perched myself upon an outcropping of rock and removed my shirt, basking in the tepid rays.

"Edward." A soft, feminine voice sounded from nearby. It was devoid of emotion, but contained a guarded tone that was somewhat flat and most definitely meek. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, squinting slightly in the bright light, but remained still on the rock.

"Rosalie," I acknowledged, carefully detached.

I continued to stare at the sun, listening closely as her quiet footsteps treaded across the leaf-littered ground. She approached gradually, each step deliberate. Scanning her mind quickly, I heard nothing, as usual.

"If I tell you I'm sorry, will you answer something honestly for me?"

My brow unconsciously furrowed at her request. "Maybe."

Suddenly, she was next to me, shoving me easily across the rock to make room for herself. I whipped my head towards her, shocked at her boldness. "What do you think you're doing?"

"There's room for both of us." Pleased with herself, she gracefully leapt upon the rock and settled alongside of me, much too close for my comfort.

"What do you want?"

She dropped her head, glancing down at her lap briefly before looking over to meet my annoyed stare. "I told you I'm sorry. Will you answer something for me?"

"I already did."

_Maybe doesn't count. Edward, why do you hate me?_

I sighed exasperatedly, already sick of her company. I had been seeking a rare few hours of serenity – not a game of twenty questions.

"I don't hate you, Rose."

_I disagree. _

I turned my head back towards the sky, closing my eyes and trying my hardest to ignore both her physical and mental presence. She had stretched out across the rock, mimicking my position exactly, laying mere inches from me and clad in a casual blouse and skirt that she unabashedly hiked up to reveal her slender legs. I uttered an almost inaudible groan at the sight, trying not to encourage her or let on how much it bothered me, but her newborn ears picked it up immediately. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her flinch.

"Why are you following me?"

_We haven't talked in weeks._

"I'm well aware of that."

She turned her head to appraise me. "Edward, if you don't hate me, then why are you ignoring me?"

I refused to turn and meet her gaze, instead, continuing to focus on the sun that was beginning its descent to the valley below.

_Will you let me make it up to you?_

I heard her body start to turn towards me, her arm moving ever so slowly in my general direction. This had to stop – _now._

"No! Just….leave me alone. Don't touch me." I flinched, then gave her a menacing glare before scooting further away. There wasn't much rock left – if she continued to press towards me, I'd be forced to abandon my warm haven.

"I'm sorry." Her voice dripped with remorse, perfectly matching the compunction that swirled through her mind. I felt her weight shift as she moved back a few inches, allowing me more personal space. "I meant it, you know."

I eyed her warily. "What, exactly? How you would _make it up to me_, or that you'll leave me alone?"

_I'll leave you if you want…but please, don't chase me away. _

"What exactly did you want, again?" Bitterness peppered my tone before I could stop it. Her sorrowful expression brought on a bout of regret for my own viciousness, but I quickly reminded myself that I could not allow her to gain the upper hand. The moment she sensed weakness, she'd take full advantage.

Rosalie sucked in her plump, bottom lip, holding my gaze. "I just want someone to…" Releasing a pent-up sigh, she first rolled her eyes, then her entire body, so that she was lying on her back, staring at the darkening sky.

_I hate being alone, Edward. And I feel like I'm intruding on Esme and Carlisle whenever I'm with them. _

I smiled despite myself. Having spent more than a decade with the ardent couple, I knew exactly what she was referring to.

_Don't push me away. Please?_

For a moment, I debated whether I could truly honor her request. I knew perfectly well what it was like to be alone in the world – despite Carlisle and Esme's company, I had become forcibly used to solidarity. Yet, when I was born into immortality, I had Carlisle's undivided attention. Prior to that, I was the only child of two doting parents. How would I have felt if I had entered this new life as she had - accustomed to a large family, with siblings, parents, friends, and even a fiancé? Finally, I began to realize just what she was seeking – camaraderie and fellowship. Was that too much to deny her? _One more chance, but that's it, _I silently promised myself.

Taking a deep breath, I composed myself before replying. "Just friends."

Rosalie turned to look at me, her face aglow with happiness.

"Yes. Friends."

* * *

We lay peacefully, in silence beside one another on the rock, watching the sun set across the valley. When its last beams retreated over the horizon, Rosalie sat up.

"Do you want to see something?" she asked.

"Sure," I replied easily. She had remained true to her word for the past few hours, keeping her thoughts open and devoid of any romantic or scheming notions. The tranquility between us was quite idyllic – for the first time in over a month, I was able to completely relax while in the same vicinity as she.

Tentatively, she reached over to take my hand. I swallowed once before allowing her to touch me in such an amicable gesture, her thoughts indicating no malice or conniving. Rosalie only wanted to lead me to her surprise.

We leapt off the rock, racing back down the slope and into the valley. She was fast, but not as fast as I. However, she was noticeably stronger – every time I slowed my pace in hesitation, she jerked me forward. I thought back briefly to her actions on the rock, and how easily she had pushed me in an attempt to make more space for herself. Carlisle had told me, years prior, about a newborn's strength their first year - Rosalie was, apparently, no exception.

After sprinting for several miles through the darkening undergrowth of the surrounding forest, we eventually arrived in a small clearing. Twilight had descended during our journey, and deep shadows shrouded the mysterious building that lay before us.

I glanced over at Rosalie as she simultaneously answered my questioning look.

_It's Esme's cabin._

Silently, we crept forward to investigate the ruined structure. It had been built decades prior, having long since succumbed to the power of the elements. The wooden roof sagged near its peak, and the door lay broken across the entryway, no doubt destroyed by some large predator. Rosalie moved ahead of me, leading us forward, presumably into the building, but I instinctively pulled her back. Although my senses detected no danger inside, I still felt compelled to enter first.

She squeezed my hand once in protest, hard enough that I visibly grimaced in pain.

_What are you doing?_

I turned back to her, frowning in aggravation. "Just…follow me." Even if I had wanted to, I couldn't begin to explain the impulsive need that I suddenly felt to confront any potential danger first.

Rosalie scowled, but remained silent as we moved, single file, through the entryway. Clearly, there was no imminent hazard, but still, I felt the slightest hint of doom lurking in the shadows of the rundown cabin.

Once we were both inside, she stepped forward to stand abreast of me, still clenching my hand tightly. Together, we let our eyes trace over the rotting ceiling and walls, watching the nearly invisible termites gorge on the oak and pine floorboards.

_Such a shame that it's been abandoned._

I nodded in agreement, still mesmerized by the miniscule insects feasting below our feet. The termites were the first life form I had encountered that wasn't instantly fearful of my close proximity. How curious.

_Esme wants to renovate it – turn it into a retreat for us all._

Her movement distracted me from the activity beneath us, and I glanced up, meeting her wondering stare. Suddenly, I was unable to move, cast in the same spell as that night she kissed me. Only this time, her mind remained open, and I was completely astonished when I realized that it too, like mine, had gone completely blank. Her grasp tightened even more painfully, as her jaw became lax and her unnecessary breathing grew more labored. _What was happening?_

Just then, with absolutely no warning, a heavy timber broke free from the dilapidated ceiling and hurtled straight down upon us. Instinctively, I reached up with my free arm to deflect the falling beam. But I was too slow – Rosalie had already lifted her unoccupied hand above her head, clenched in a fist, obliterating the plunging timber with just the slightest flick of her wrist. Shards of wood splintered in all directions, showering both of us with razor-sharp daggers. Reacting impulsively, I reached for Rosalie's waist and slid her underneath my own body, sheltering her from the falling shrapnel.

The racket lasted longer than the plummeting shards of debris. It was several seconds before the echo of the crash finally escaped the confining walls of the cabin, leaving us in peace again. My body still hovered precariously over hers, now shielding her from the bits of dust that continued to trickle down from the broken ceiling. Sensing that the danger had finally cleared, I looked down to Rosalie, who remained tensely frozen beneath me, her hands firmly griping my sides. Neither of us spoke as we continued to stare cautiously at one another. To me, our compromising position had not gone unnoticed – and I was quite sure it hadn't for her either. But still, chivalry won out for the moment.

"Are you all right?" I asked urgently.

_Well, that was…interesting._

I snorted in response, unable to control a sudden fit of laughter. Rosalie began to smile, my amusement apparently contagious.

"You managed to disintegrate that beam quite nicely," I snickered.

"And you did rather well, throwing me underneath yourself in…what, exactly? Protection?" Rosalie chortled loudly.

We both chuckled for a moment; that is, until the carefree atmosphere began to dissipate as we both became acutely aware of the other's close proximity.

_Thank you._

I opened my mouth to reply, but the words refused to come out. She released her hold on my waist with one hand and slowly brought a finger up to my lips, shushing me.

"Don't ruin this with your snide retorts, Edward." I could feel her warm breath rushing up to my face as I tried to shake my head in complete incongruity.

"I said, _no." _Rosalie pushed herself up towards me, wrapping her other arm securely around my neck to prevent any escape. The hand that had been against my face finally moved away, quickly replaced by her searing lips as she kissed me for the second time.

Before I could protest, she pulled away, even faster than before, effectively scooting herself out from beneath my hovering body. I looked up to find her standing stoically next to me.

_I was just thanking you. _

Scrambling to my feet, I nodded slightly in acknowledgement before prying my eyes away from her. _It was nothing, _I told myself. _It didn't mean anything…she's just happy to have a friend in this world._ But no matter how hard I tried to convince myself of that, my mind kept circling back to the sensation of her lips pressed to mine. It felt – _good? _No_ -_ I _refused_ to believe my body's reaction. I would not submit to everyone else's well-meaning wishes as they pertained to my bachelorhood; after all, I was happy alone. Who needed a companion?

_What are you thinking about?_

I glanced back at Rosalie, who now stood perfectly still near the doorway, across the room. _When had she moved?_ Her hair was covered in bits of wood and debris, yet she still looked stunning. _Stunning? _Sure, she was beautiful, but physical appearance meant nothing to me. Or at least, I attempted to convince myself that it didn't.

"Nothing," I muttered, running a hand through my disheveled hair to rid it of any fragments from the falling beam.

_Didn't we decide to try and be honest with one another? I know I've been nothing but truthful with you – why are you lying to me now?_

I fought back the urge to smirk. "I'm not lying."

_Fine – _refraining _then. _

My eyes rolled of their own accord. Suddenly, she was directly in front of me, her crimson irises dancing with some inexplicable fire. "Tell me."

"No." I waited for the usual annoyance within me to flare - my typical reaction whenever she decided to push my buttons. But it didn't rear its ugly head; rather, I realized, I found this little game amusing.

Rosalie reached out and grasped my arm tightly. "I mean it." I started to laugh as I realized that _she_ was the one getting annoyed. That only strengthened my resolve to remain mum.

Suddenly, I found myself up against the far wall of the cabin, Rosalie pinning both of my arms down at my sides. I couldn't move – she was much stronger than I had estimated, especially as she seethed in anger. Slowly, the mirth of the situation dissipated from the room with my laughter, replaced immediately by palpable wariness. But as quickly as the circumspection had arrived, I found it overshadowed by a fresh, new emotion. My mind began to flail like a drowning swimmer as it struggled to make sense of the surge of nervous energy that ripped through my body. _What was that?_

"Tell me now, Edward," she growled, her eyes narrowing. As I held her stare, I realized that I could no longer answer her. Like a month before, the night she had found me alone in the woods, my body began its fight against rational reason. Only now, even if I wanted to, I couldn't reach out to touch her – she still had me pushed against the wall, her hands shackled around my wrists.

_Do you have any idea how annoying you are at the moment?_

I tried to shake my head, but it wouldn't move. My jaw hung slightly open, unnecessary breaths racing in and out of my lungs.

_I just want to…_

My own mind finished her thought for her…incorrectly, though. I heard the word _scream _ring out, and thought she had actually said it. But I was wrong – _very wrong_. In the same instant that I imagined her supposed answer, she pressed into me, her mouth on mine once again. Only this time, she did not pull away like before.

This kiss was different than the others. Before, I was so startled by her forwardness that I refused to really _experience_ the embrace. But this time, it had my full attention. It was not what I had expected – she tasted sweet, like the distant, human memory of warm honey, or maybe fresh molasses. And her lips were terribly soft, softer even than her hands, which I had held on countless occasions.

Admittedly, I had only been kissed once before, and fleetingly, by a classmate when I was just thirteen. The persistent girl had chased me home after school, trapping me against our wrought-iron fence before sloppily pressing her mouth to mine. I had tried to push her away, but I didn't want to hurt her. My father had erupted from the house when he saw us, yelling my name once and effectively scaring the wanton girl away with his menacing tone. After dragging me back inside, I had received a mortifying lecture on how gentlemen _never_ acted that way in public. It didn't seem to matter to him that _she_ had been the one to kiss _me_.

The memory faded out quickly as I realized that my only experience with the act had been soiled by my father's outrage. How could something that felt like this be wrong?

Her lips lingered on mine, hesitant, yet desperate as they awaited my response. Before I could stop myself, my mouth began to move on its own, kissing her back, even as my mind sent out urgent orders to stop this madness. But I didn't listen. The warmth of her skin against mine sent another wave of sensation down the length of my body, all the way to my feet.

_I was now kissing _her.

After a few seconds, she pulled away slightly, opening her eyes to look at me. Instantly, I felt compelled to lean forward and kiss her again, to savor her taste and push my lips tightly against hers, but my mind had finally regained control, preventing me from acting on my primal urges. We both stood there, breathing rapidly, only a half inch apart, our minds reeling in confusion.

_I'm sorry…I shouldn't have done that. But I couldn't stop myself - couldn't control myself. _

I blinked and nodded once, her thoughts running concurrently with mine.

_But that was different than before – it felt more…_right_? Did I like it? Was Edward kissing me back?_

My eyes inadvertently dropped to her lips…_her full, red lips_. They looked exactly like they had tasted, sweet, scrumptious, _edible. _My breath continued to labor as my body refused to calm.

_What are you thinking? _

This time I did not hold back. "You're still holding my arms," I whispered.

"Oh!" Instantly, she released her grip, her eyes growing wider in response to something she saw on my face. I tried to see myself in her mind, but it was blank. Not locked, like before – _absolutely blank._

"Edward, I –"

I responded instantaneously as she began to speak, my hands on her shoulders, pushing her across the room and against the opposite wall in a fraction of a second. Another shower of disintegrating wood particles drifted down upon us, like glistening snowflakes, as our collective momentum caused the building to shudder from the impact.

Before she could finish her sentence, my lips found their way back to hers.

* * *

_There's a few new songs on the "Betrothed" playlist, found on my profile. Check them out! And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated!_


	13. Recapitulation

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve! _

* * *

My will completely defected from my instincts as I eagerly kissed Rosalie.

After pushing her across the room, I pressed the palms of my hands flat upon the crumbling wall, effectively pinning her against it. I leaned in, my lips seeking hers, kissing her more forcefully than before. She responded instantly, her hands snaking up between us to cup my face as she kissed me back with equal intensity. The room began spinning, and as my eyes fluttered in pleasure for a fraction of a second, I swore we were suddenly outside amongst the stars. The falling bits of dust were refracting the moonlight coming in through the window, causing them to glitter as they descended to the floor.

One of Rosalie's hands slipped behind my neck, her touch igniting a trail of fire that nearly caused my knees to buckle. I felt like my entire body was turning itself inside out as wave after wave of electricity jolted through my bones. I had never felt anything like it, either as a human, or vampire. A bout of vertigo nearly toppled me backwards again when her mouth opened slightly and I felt her hot breath creep along my lips. _Was she urging me to open _my_ mouth?_

Gasping, I broke away from her embrace, searching her eyes for the answer to a question I could barely form in my head. _What was happening to me?_

_That was…_

Her thought melded exactly with my own.

I shook my head violently, taking a step backwards. Her grip around my neck began to tighten, so I quickly reached around, yanking her hand away. I needed to think, to sort out everything that had just happened, but my mind was muddled and overburdened, trying to grapple with these new, intense feelings racing through every nerve of my body.

_Don't go._

My jaw reflexively opened and shut several times, my mouth forming the words I wanted to say, but my voice failed me entirely. I took another step in reverse as Rosalie took one forward, her hand hesitantly reaching out for me.

_Please, Edward. We need to talk…_

"No," I growled deeply. My eyes widened in reaction to the foreign tone of my voice. Even consumed with anger, I had never sounded like this. _What was happening to me?_

"Please, Edward…please, don't leave." She took another tentative step towards me, the gap between us diminishing once again. Something flickered in her eyes, and I suddenly recognized it. _Lust. _I had seen it before on Esme's face when she looked at Carlisle.

I looked away. "Rose, I don't want to talk. I just need time to…think." I cautiously glanced back at her and noticed her lower lip trembling slightly, causing a wave of remorse to flood over the other emotions that plagued me - _finally_, something I could recognize and deal with.

"I'm not upset; I just need to sort things out. Alone." _Please understand, _I silently begged. "Just…"

_I'm sorry if I scared you or pushed too far - but I don't regret it._

Never had I wished more for my volatile temper to explode than at that moment. But the fury never came, even as I replayed her last five words over and over again in my mind. Why wasn't I angry at her lack of repentance? _Because you don't regret it either._

"I have to go." Before my body betrayed my will, I fled out the door and into the night, running to put as many miles between us as I could. I knew that if I didn't, I would eventually have found my way back to her.

* * *

Two days later, I approached the house. I had been hunting to the far east of the Great Smoky Mountain range, almost near Asheville, North Carolina. I considered wandering into town the evening before, hoping to distract myself with sightseeing and the superficial thoughts of the town commoners. But something told me that nothing would successfully divert my wayward attention from that notorious evening at the cabin.

As I neared our home, I sought out my family's thoughts. Carlisle and Esme were inside, but Rosalie was not. I told myself that I should be elated at her convenient absence – it would be much easier to act normal without her presence, though deep down, I longed to see her again, to trace her chiseled jaw line with my finger.

Shaking my head to clear my mind of such outlandish thoughts, I stepped noisily up the porch to announce my arrival. Esme was immediately at the door.

"Edward! Where have you been? I've missed you!" She reached out to envelop me in a warm hug. I smiled over her at Carlisle, who stood stoically near the stairs.

_Everything all right?_

"Yes, Carlisle. My apologies – I decided to expand my exploration of the area, and lost track of time."

Esme released her hold on me and stepped back to appraise my expression. "Well, we all need time to ourselves, but I wish you'd tell one of us before you disappear for so long."

I nodded compliantly.

_You and Rosalie seem to have quite a knack for avoiding one another. She left just an hour ago._

I glanced back over at Carlisle, my face purposely blank.

_You can't ignore her forever, son._

"I understand, Carlisle."

His mental line of questioning switched flawlessly to words. "Have you spoken with her at all?"

"No, not in quite some time." Surprisingly, the lie rolled off my tongue without the least bit of shame or hesitation. For a fleeting moment, I considered the possibility of Rosalie telling either one of them that we had been together a few days prior, but the worry was gone as soon as it had arrived. Somehow, I knew she hadn't shared our secret. _Because she'd know that you'd never allow _that _to happen again if she did._

I swallowed thickly, pushing that realization aside so I could continue to uphold my façade.

Esme walked past me to Carlisle's side, placing her arm around his waist before addressing me. "What can we do to help you two get along?"

Shrugging, I glanced longingly over at my Steinway before answering. "Nothing, it's purely _my_ issue." I smiled reassuringly before turning back to both of them. "Please, let me work through it at my own pace."

They watched me apprehensively, neither of them speaking. Finally, Carlisle replied.

_Of course. I respect your honesty about the situation. But for Esme's sake, please try to be at the very least _amicable_ with Rosalie. It's been nearly a month since all four of us have been in this house together._

Inwardly, I flinched at his thought. Why did I feel it so necessary to lie to him? There were no secrets between us – why was I compelled to keep my little tryst private?

I nodded once in acknowledgement before strolling over to the piano, where I lost myself in the music for hours. It was the only way I could start to process everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours.

* * *

Early the next morning, I headed back to the rock, where my truce with Rosalie had been declared only days prior. I liked the little plateau – it was a blessed sanctuary on which I could sort through my feelings for Rosalie without the interruption of my family.

I leapt onto the flat rock and settled myself in much the same position as before, lying on my back with my arms behind my head, only this time facing east, so I could watch the sun rise. Immediately, my mind replayed the last instance I had rested here – when _she_ had appeared, shoving me over to make room for herself. She was incredibly strong, as all newborns were, and I suddenly felt a twinge of excitement when I realized that she could easily overpower me if she wanted to. _Why would the thought of that seem so thrilling? _I sighed loudly in frustration for thinking such strange things.

But then, my mind recalled how she had looked in the cabin - her hair and outfit littered with debris, her eyes bright and entrancing. Despite the dirt and grime that covered her flawless skin, she had been utterly breathtaking. _But why? _I deducted that it had to be a result of the strange mixture of emotions from our first kiss. _No, _second_ kiss, _I reminded myself. _Even if it was just her kissing you the first time._

Unconsciously, I conjured up the memory from earlier that day as she stepped out into the late afternoon sun and approached my stony refuge. I hadn't noticed at the time how her blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, glowing like the halo of an angel, or how her short-sleeved blouse and long skirt flawlessly fit, accentuating her statuesque form. Rosalie was not a typical woman – she wasn't petite, submissive, or soft. Everything about her shouted for attention, gratification. No wonder she had been so popular in Rochester – based on beauty alone, she was more than merely striking. She was absolutely magnificent, her features the culmination of everything humans considered pleasing to the eye. Her transformation into immortality had taken that physical perfection and amplified it a hundredfold. I couldn't imagine another woman or vampire more beautiful than she. _And I had tasted her lips._

I groaned at my latest thought, the recollection of our kiss in the cabin actually becoming painful. _What was happening to me?_

_Edward -_

I startled instantly, whipping my head around to search for her. She was here_ again. _Something deep inside me rejoiced at that realization, but had she been watching me this entire time? I wondered if I had accidentally vocalized my licentious thoughts – what would she think if she knew what _I _was thinking?

_I knew you'd be up here._

Glancing east into the blinding sun, I saw her silhouette as she stepped into the light, walking slowly towards me. I thought back to my earlier comparison of Rosalie to an angel, realizing I had greatly underplayed her exquisiteness. At that moment, surrounded by the early morning rays, she was the incarnation of a seraph, descending from heaven.

I lay frozen in place on my rock, unable to move as she approached.

_Mind if I join you?_

Shaking my head in noticeable bewilderment, I haphazardly scurried over a few inches to make room for her. The internal battle within resumed instantaneously - part of me begged to give into my primordial desires, the other relentlessly reminded me that this was _wrong._ Yet I was unable to react one way or the other.

She bounded up next to me without a sound, yet kept a fair amount of space between us. Together, we lay on our backs, side by side, silently watching the sun begin its slow ascent upwards. It was nearly an hour before she spoke.

"So…" The vacillation was clear in her tone as she breathed in deeply. I remained motionless, waiting for her to continue, but she never did. Curiosity finally got the best of me.

"So what?" The words came out entirely too malicious, but there was regrettably no way to recall them.

Rosalie turned towards me, her eyes smoldering in the morning light. "What's your problem?"

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, but refused to move from my position to face her. "I have no problem, Rosalie."

"I beg to differ."

Rolling my eyes, I lifted my hand up, shielding the bright sunlight from my eyes, before turning my head to her. "What did you want, again?" As instinctual as it was to crave her attention earlier, the contemptible words now seeped from my mouth at an alarming rate, with no cognitive direction whatsoever. _And_ I was reacting faster than my mind could keep up.

Rosalie huffed in response, simultaneously opening her mind to me.

_Wouldn't be the first time I misinterpreted a man's true intentions._

I snarled in outright defiance of her wicked thoughts, willing myself not to bound up and flee this mental assault.

_And here I thought you were actually _noble, _especially after you rescued me at the King residence. Tell me Edward, was that all an elaborate act, merely a part of Carlisle and Esme's crazy plot to push us together? Enlighten me, please…what are you _really_ thinking right now?_

"Just leave." I regretted the outburst immediately, and I quickly spun to face her, prepared to grab her arm if she obeyed my request.

She sucked in a deep breath and held it for several seconds. I swore I felt the rock tremble beneath us as her body began to quiver. Roguishly, my hand reached over towards her, but stopped just shy of her distressed face. Her mouth opened slightly, but she never spoke a word.

_Tell me you didn't mean what you just said._

My hand started to shake, yet it inevitably crept closer and closer to her glowing cheek. I tried to stop myself, but my self-control was failing at an alarming rate.

_Show me._

She reached up, grabbing my extended hand and guiding it around to the back of her head. At once, my fragile willpower snapped again as the tepid wind blew her scent directly at me. _So sweet – like orchids._ Once she had successfully moved my hand, she reached over, snaking her own hand under my arm and firmly clasping my back, closing the gap between us. Her mouth found mine immediately, and my senses were overloaded with the sweet flavor of honey and the soft caress of her lips against my own. Intuitively, my hand that she had placed behind her head began to fist in her gloriously soft hair, pulling her closer still. I found myself completely lost to every form of rational thought as she ardently kissed me, her fingers trailing a tantalizing pattern along my spine.

Even though I had been through this same, insanely feral act just days prior, it was like kissing her for the first time all over again. Instantly, I was dizzy; my head swimming in shameful, libidinous thoughts, spurred on by her velvet touch and incredible taste and smell. My photographic memory served me well this time, guiding my movements in a more experienced manner, the fear from before dissipating much more rapidly, allowing me to savor every sensation rather than fight them. Once again, I felt that unfamiliar emotion tickle my insides, threatening to grow if I relinquished control and succumbed to its enticing euphoria. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of what that ecstasy would truly feel like as I tentatively let down my guard - it produced a reaction I was completely unprepared for. Strangely, I found myself praying that we could stay like this forever…lying together, upon our rock, the sun rising and setting while we lost ourselves to one another.

Time stood still, yet it seemed much too soon when she finally pulled away from our embrace, her silky lips sucking lightly on my lower one before breaking contact.

"I need to go."

"Where?" I murmured, reaching back up for her face, but she batted my hand away.

_Home._

I sat back, appraising her carefully. There was absolutely no emotion in her eyes – her face remained completely blank, like her mind. But then, she shot me one straightforward question.

_What are you thinking?_

A smirk found its way onto my face before I could stop it. "You don't want to know." I glanced down for a second, composing myself and scanning her mind again for a reaction to my words. Strangely, I sensed she had put the wall up once more. "What are _you_ thinking?"

All of a sudden, the wall came down.

_I think we need to stop doing this._

My brow furrowed, confused by the contradiction between her words and body language. Hadn't she been the one to initiate our recent…activity?

I glanced back up at her, trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind her words…_thoughts._ It was all beginning to blur together as I struggled desperately to make sense of it. But then again, _did I really care?_

"Wait…" I meant to ask her if I had done something wrong, but my voice utterly failed me as we locked eyes.

Her eyebrows arched, and for a moment I feared she had somehow seen my last thought. Then I realized she was reacting to my latter, incomplete utterance. "Yes?"

"I…okay." _Was I agreeing to her last thought?_ Suddenly, it no longer mattered.

_Goodbye, Edward. See you around._

Rosalie gracefully hopped off our rock and sauntered down the slope while I remained frozen, jaw agape.

* * *

_More wonderfully angsty music has been added to the play list….check it out. _

_And reviews are appreciated - I love hearing everyone's take on E&R's little "tryst"..._


	14. Bridge

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_A heartfelt thank you goes out to my beta, Emilie Fauve! _

_AN: Okay, no one hurt me…just as I start to get __**most **__of you to like the idea of E&R together in the last chapter, she tells him it's over. Normally, I'd say "time for Emoward to make an appearance", BUT never fear – this chapter will be more about Revengeward than Angstward. And I promise to bring back Sexward in the next chapter. (really, I just wanted an excuse to use all of these cool nicknames for him!) Thanks again for all of the support from the faithful B&E fans out there – I heart you guys!!!_

* * *

It took me over an hour to compose myself after her abrupt departure, her words flitting repeatedly in my head.

_We need to stop doing this. _

Of course, she was absolutely right. There were no excuse for my…_our_…behavior over the past few days. I didn't love her, and I knew she didn't love me. Our actions were wonton and grossly irresponsible. A resounding huff escaped me as I thought about Carlisle and Esme's reactions if they were to know what had happened. _They must never find out, _I resolved.

Rosalie had stated her wish to end our indecent activities, and I would comply with her request, even if a large part of me objected fiercely to that decision. The smartest thing I could do was try to avoid her, something I had successfully achieved until the past few days. Even with her consciously blocking my mental queries, I would still be able to detect her approaching presence and leave the vicinity immediately. Though, based on her departing thought on our rock, I doubted she'd be coming anywhere near me in the foreseeable future.

After deciding on my course of action, as it pertained to the two of us, I found myself torn between two choices; hunt, or venture home. It was mid-afternoon, and the heat was terribly oppressive, even to as cold a being such as I. The stark difference between this locale and the northerly areas I had grown accustomed to was amazing. Seeking out prey was no longer an adventure - rather, it was depressingly lackluster during the daytime hours, as our quarry were quite susceptible to the humid air, becoming lethargic until the cool evening breezes began to rush down the slopes of the surrounding hills. Hunting was definitely out of the question until nightfall.

Therefore, I decided to return home. Upon nearing the house, I quickly caught wind of Rosalie, her unmistakably pleasurable scent causing my nostrils to flare in an attempt to placate my sudden thirst for her tender lips. _She was inside._

I stopped dead in my tracks, weighing my options. _Flight, or fight? _Although I had recently decided to steer clear of her, I found myself weary of constantly running away. Though I could respect her request to halt our secret rendezvous', I had just as much right to enter our home at will as she did, if not more so. Besides, she was the one who had decided that she no longer wanted any relationship with me, platonic or otherwise. This was _my _home. This was _my _family. Let _her_ leave if she was uncomfortable.

The only thing I was concerned about was keeping our little tryst between the two of us. Since she had made it clear that it would never happen again, it was nothing Carlisle and Esme needed to know about. I squared my shoulders in resolve, preparing myself for anything she might say or do to expose our secret by having a multitude of explanations, excuses, and anecdotes foremost in my head. With that, I courageously moved forward into the front yard.

Carlisle and Esme's thoughts became a conglomerate of emotions the moment they heard my approach.

_Finally, our family will be together._

I huffed in annoyance at Esme's joyous sentiments.

_Son, please…don't be upset. Come inside – join us. Don't leave simply because Rosalie's here._

Carlisle's thoughts were a bit less revolting, presumably since he had heard my reaction to Esme's, and I couldn't help but empathize. He had waited too long for this reunion.

I opened the front door, entering forcefully and without hesitation. For the first time in over a month, our family would be completely assembled within the confines of our home.

All eyes were upon me; first, I glanced to my rock – _Carlisle. _He nodded once in welcome, allowing his gratefulness to spill out in waves from his mind. I let a twinge of a smile cross my lips to convey my own gratitude at his kind thoughts before shifting my eyes to my mother.

_You don't know how much this means to me…_

I bowed my head silently for a second to acknowledge her appreciation. Then, as my gaze moved past Esme to my right, I made eye contact with_ her_.

_I shouldn't have left you the way I did._

Her anfractuous thought permeated through my soul in a way that I was completely unprepared for. I wanted to rush across the room and meld my lips to hers, letting the wavering tide of passionate upheaval run its course. Let her request be damned. I felt my leg rise, prepared to start the miniscule journey across the room to follow through with my impulse, when she halted my absurd behavior at once.

_But I meant what I said. It was just a kiss – nothing more._

The overwhelming urge to bolt across the room dissipated instantly. I was left completely dumbfounded, staring with my jaw slightly open at her confident stance. Was she saying that it had all been a farce?

"Finally, a family reunion!" Esme's light tone pierced my ears, breaking me from Rosalie's malevolent spell. I turned back to my mother immediately, forcing a smile at her obvious joy.

"I've missed you, too," I proclaimed with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, hugging her warmly. My gesture was not entirely insincere – I had honestly yearned for the company of my surrogate parents over the past few weeks. Plus, I wanted _her_ to see that I was unaffected by her spiteful thoughts. She would not chase me away easily from _my family._

Carlisle's delight as he watched us embrace was evident, spreading infectiously across the room. "This calls for a celebration of sorts," he declared.

I kissed Esme affectionately on the cheek before turning to Carlisle.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked innocently, becoming instantly suspicious a second later when he began blocking me from his thoughts. _What was going on?_

_Don't tell me you haven't heard what they have planned for us._

Glancing back at Rosalie, I caught her rolling her eyes in tangent with her sardonic thought.

Esme trotted across the room to Carlisle's side, hugging him fiercely for a moment. Then, she turned to me. "We're just so happy to have our family back together."

Instantly, I scanned her mind as well, seeking out the activity that Rosalie had warned me of. But Esme's thoughts were as guarded as Carlisle's.

At first, I honestly couldn't imagine what they had planned. Group activities in the past had been limited to hunting, social excursions into populated areas, and occasional discussions around the latest books we were reading. Two of the three could be ruled out immediately – it was too hot to hunt, and Carlisle would never risk allowing Rosalie near humans so soon. That left very limited options.

Crossing my arms, I waited nervously for an explanation, or at the very least, the next merry sentiment to inevitably expel from someone's mouth. Yet strangely, it never came…instead, an eerie silence fell across the room.

Finally, Carlisle took a deep breath before addressing us. "Let me begin by restating how happy Esme and I are to have the two of you together with us." He looked pointedly at Rosalie first, then at me. "You must realize how strong our shared desire for family unity, both in _and_ out of our home, is; that we are more than willing to do whatever it will take to foster camaraderie between the four of us."

For some reason, a nagging sensation crept into my bones upon hearing Carlisle's speech. What could they possibly have in mind that would _foster camaraderie_? I swallowed thickly, avoiding the irresistible urge to sneak another peek at Rosalie as she let another impious thought slip out.

_Edward actually has no idea what they're about to propose…he looks scared to death._

My lip twitched as my mind imagined dozens of horrifying scenarios involving the two of us unwillingly thrust together. _Dancing? Candid discussions about how we should be courting one-another? An arranged marriage?_ I was nearing my breaking point as the possibilities grew more and more absurd, and it was all I could do to keep from fleeing the house again.

Carlisle must have sensed my fear; he blinked once before chuckling lightly and giving me a knowing look.

_I apologize for worrying you, Edward. It's nothing bad._

I remained still, waiting for him to continue.

"Well then, I thought we might start a new tradition, now that we have four in our family." This time, my eyes flitted to Rosalie's motionless form of their own accord. Her lips were pursed together, her eyes boring into Carlisle as she waited for him to unveil the big surprise.

"Who would like to learn to play Bridge?"

My shoulders slumped in relief upon hearing that I was not going to be forced into some romantic activity with Rosalie. Instead, _cards. _That should be safe enough for us to engage in – I could easily devote my attention to the game and block out the obdurate creature who, of late, ruled my every thought.

"Sure, why not?" I replied.

Esme clapped her hands in delight before rushing up to Rosalie. "Oh, this will be so much fun! Have you ever played before? You realize we'll be on teams…" She steered Rosalie into the unused kitchen and over to the mahogany table.

I watched them leave, then turned back to Carlisle. "Since when have you been interested in cards?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, some of my colleagues were talking about their Bridge tournaments back in Rochester. I found a book on the rules of the game, and found it to be rather fascinating," he explained thoughtfully as we strolled across the room. "However, it requires four people to play, so it had never been worth pursuing when it was just the three of us."

We joined the women in the kitchen and took our seats across from our perspective partners. Obviously, I was paired with Rosalie. As I settled myself in the chair, I glanced up to find her staring at me.

_I meant what I said before._

I looked down and then back up in a silent answer to her thought while Carlisle began to explain the rules of the game to us. Thankfully, I was able to grasp the rudimentary concepts without giving him my full attention. Instead, I held Rosalie's icy gaze, a sort of showdown occurring between us. I probed her mind, searching out the validity of her earlier proclamation that the kiss had meant nothing to her. Was she referring to the last one, or all of them? Was she being sincere? The more I mulled over her words, the more agitated I became.

_Do you think this is some contrived way of trying to push us together? Because it won't work._

As Esme began to deal out the cards, I lifted my shoulders slowly in a shrug as my eyes broke away from hers, now focused on the game before us. She should be shrewd enough to notice my subtle answer to her question, and hopefully get the hint that I was done with our wordless conversation. The only way I was going to be able to stand sitting across from her was to devote all of my attention on the game.

Rosalie's mind quieted as we began. A few passing jokes were made between Carlisle and Esme about my capability of unethical play, and I dutifully promised not to spy on anyone's hand, including my partner's. Concentrating on _not _cheating made it easier to forget about _her. _Besides, everyone knew that cheating was not prevalent in my nature – apparently everyone _but_ Rosalie. As our opponents started to trump us in points, Rosalie resumed her wordless communication.

_I don't like to lose._

Again, I shrugged, trying to hide a devious smirk. She may have been irate at our losing, but I was just beginning to thoroughly enjoy her discomfort in our current situation. As Carlisle and Esme conversed easily between themselves, I realized that the tides of power between Rosalie and I were shifting yet again – I could literally feel her frustration mount as I let Carlisle and Esme win another trick by playing a lesser card from my hand. No one had asked me not to _throw_ the game. My aggravation from earlier in the afternoon dissipated rapidly, seeming to flow out of my body and directly into Rosalie's.

As the round ended and Rosalie took her turn to deal out the next hand, I unconsciously glanced up at her stony expression for a second.

_Edward – I've got three good spades._

Internally, I debated whether I ought to use the insider information for our benefit. Carlisle and Esme were substantially ahead of us in points – would it hurt to skew one round in our favor if it merely evened the playing field? Probably not, but it would still be dishonorable. I ignored Rosalie's tip and played my own hand.

As we lost more points to our sonsy opponents, I abruptly became aware of a low growl. Looking up from my hand, I noticed Rosalie was simmering, her lips beginning to curl back in irritation. I glanced over to Carlisle to gauge his reaction to her inappropriate behavior, but he appeared oblivious. Esme, too, was completely engrossed in her cards, not noticing our exchange.

Then I realized that the growl I was hearing was in my head, meant specifically _for me. _I turned back to appraise Rosalie with a blank expression, waiting for her to blast me with a licentious thought.

_You're not playing very well, _partner_._

I smirked as Carlisle began shuffling and dealing the cards out for the subsequent round.

_I'm going to bid four._

Ignoring her, I called out a lesser bid, resulting in a loss of more points to Carlisle and Esme.

_Are you trying to make us lose?_

I dealt out the next round of cards silently, sandbagging our tricks again. Waves of fury began to roll off of Rosalie as the point spread between us and our opponents increased.

_Edward Cullen!_

She mentally screamed my name so loudly that my head automatically shot up to meet her withering stare. Rosalie slammed her fists down upon the table, leaving two dents and splintering the smooth surface, commanding Carlisle and Esme's attention at once. She threw her cards at me, stood up, and snarled fiercely.

_You are the most puerile being that ever existed! How _dare_ you throw the game and force us to lose!_

Then she was gone, flying out the front door, breaking it off its hinges in the process.

I sat dumbfounded, staring blankly at her empty chair. Her temper was as bad, if not worse, than my own, but at least I was able to control mine. Maybe now Carlisle and Esme would understand our distaste for one another.

"Edward, what was that all about?" I tore my eyes away to look over at Carlisle, his expression mirroring mine.

_Did she say anything before she left?_

Esme started blankly at me, awaiting my answer as my mind scrambled aimlessly, torn between truth and another lie. Should I tell them that she wanted me to cheat? And, more importantly, that I was honestly throwing the game as a sort of revenge? _Do not share that, _I commanded myself, coming to a quick decision. _Tell the truth, but keep it simple._

"She is…._upset _with my playing ability," I began, picking my words carefully. "Rosalie didn't agree with some of my plays that led to our defeat."

Carlisle's expression was one of perplexity; he didn't know what to think. "Well…I guess we should consider rotating partners next time, then."

I glanced back over to Esme, who looked extremely worried. "Should one of us go after her?"

"Yes, we don't want her out on her own if she's that upset," agreed Carlisle. He gazed at Esme, the two of them silently communicating in their own, unique way. I automatically turned away, always a bit uncomfortable watching these moments between them, and forced myself to stay out of their heads. Surely they were deciding which, if not both, should go after her. Fighting back a chuckle, I continued to marvel at Rosalie's explosive temper and immature outburst over something as silly as a game of cards. _And she had the nerve to call _me_ puerile._

"Did you hear us, son?" I blinked, pulled out of my internal musings to find them both staring intently at me. Carlisle repeated his comment, watching me decisively as he spoke.

"We think you should go after her."

A sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach slowly festered at his words. _Why me?_

"Are you sure that's the smartest idea? I mean, it is me she's upset with – it'll only make her angrier if you send_ me_ after her." Were they back to trying to push us together?

Carlisle lifted his chin, wordlessly reminding me of the finality of his decisions in our family.

_Yes, you two need to learn to settle disputes between yourselves. Of course, we'll be here if you need us. _

My eyes rolled unconsciously as I let out an exasperated sigh and turned towards the front door. I could hardly wait to deal with Rosalie's wrath _on my own._

* * *

_As always, reviews are greatly appreciated...thanks again to all of the great Twi-hards out there - it makes me feel so much better to know I'm not the only person out there who has a rather unhealthy obession with Edward! :)_


	15. Venery

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_I'd like to thank my beta, Emilie Fauve, for wisely advising me NOT to ask for her to send certain emails…and shame on me for begging her to do it anyway…_

_AN: The definition of Venery:_

_1. Hunting or the game hunted; the act of sport or hunting (i.e. the chase)_

_2. The pursuit of sexual pleasure._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

I immediately picked up her sweet scent just off to the left of the front porch. _Honey and Orchids. _I blinked twice and shook my head rapidly in an attempt to dispel such pernicious thoughts. Letting my memories travel down the tempting path of our past few days together was outlandish, yet wholly unavoidable.

_I think we need to stop doing this._

Her thought repeated over and over in my mind as I jogged into the dense verdure surrounding our home. Again, I tried to work through the whole incident, first seeking out what had brought us together in such an unthinkable way, then grappling with the intense feelings and emotions that drove me to act as I had. At least Rosalie had enough sense to stop us from continuing. _But _you_ didn't want it to stop, did you? _I hissed at the devil roosting inside of me, his unsolicited presence coaxing forth deleterious, primal urges, some of which I could hardly recognize. _Just find her and bring her back, then go on your merry way._

Rosalie's trail led north into the wilderness, and evening was quickly approaching as I made my way down a steep slope. Although I moved at a good pace, I was not rushing ahead; having spent a fair amount of time with the inveterate creature, I instinctively knew that her safety was nothing to be concerned about. The last thing Rosalie would do was seek out humans - she was most likely sulking on a rock somewhere.

After tracking her for nearly half an hour, I realized she hadn't stuck close to home, like I had originally thought. Odd – _had she ventured this far before_? I continued ahead, crossing several ridges as I moved deeper into the mountains. Dusk was closing in, and the sticky air was finally beginning to cool. Creatures large and small were coming out to enjoy the milder temperatures, their movement suddenly spurring an idea. _Could she be hunting?_

Abruptly, I halted, turning my head slowly around and focusing all of my attention on the sounds that blanketed the forest. Crickets were starting to sing, their simplistic melody growing louder by the second. To my left, I heard the soft pads of a family of jackrabbits scurrying about, nibbling on the grass blades nestled between the conifers. Behind them, I could faintly detect the sound of running water – no doubt a brook of some sorts. But I heard no telltale sounds of larger beasts, and most definitely no indication that Rosalie was nearby.

A small part of me began to worry – _what if something had happened to her_? Before I could stop myself, a snort erupted through my nose. _You know she's fine, _I thought. _She probably doesn't want to be found, especially by you._

Deciding that my last assumption had to be correct, I turned around to head back home. Rosalie knew her way around this wilderness just as well, if not better, than I did. She'd be fine. Besides, if she did decide to do anything rash, it really wasn't my problem. After all, I was the one who resisted her encouragement to cheat – I had done nothing wrong. She simply needed to learn how to control that fiery temper, _and _develop more ubiquitous morals if she was going to meld with our family. The memory of her churlish behavior earlier that afternoon brought a satisfied smirk to my face as I jogged back along my path towards home.

The woods quickly became shrouded in darkness as the air continued to cool during my descent down one of the ridges. I was so caught up in my internal musings regarding Rosalie's immature reactions that I didn't hear it at first. It wasn't until I became aware that the entire forest was now completely silent that I skidded to a stop on the steep slope. I froze and attuned my ears, seeking out the source that had quieted every animal and insect in the area.

From down below, I heard slight footsteps moving stealthily across the forest floor. They were so faint, that I would have thought I had imagined them, if not for the ominous hush of every other living thing in the valley. There was only one creature that could evoke such a reaction. Vampire.

_It had to be Rosalie._

Stepping softly and discreetly, I crept forward to spy on her, desperately curious to see what she was doing. As I made my way closer, I heard it – the sound of a lone mountain lion snaking through the treetops. It was most likely stalking its dinner; little did it know that it too was being preyed upon at that moment.

Mountain lions were my favorite kill – I preferred them over the populous deer and elk, buffalo, and even the feisty black bears in the area. The large cats were confident, powerful, and never ran from us in terror like the herbivores. They were accustomed to being at the top of the food chain, and few had encountered men often enough to naturally fear our shape and smell. It was that superciliousness that made them so exciting to hunt, and due to their small numbers, the rarity of happening upon one by chance further added to their appeal.

My gut instinct urged me to race forward and cut Rosalie off, taking the beast for my own and draining its body of that enthralling, delectable blood. My throat began to throb painfully in anticipation of the thick, sating liquid, imagining it flowing easily through my mouth and placating every cell in my body. I clenched and unclenched my fists in rapid succession, doing everything in my power to not attack the beast. Instead, I crouched low, moving forward on the balls of my feet, quietly creeping up behind Rosalie.

She would have easily heard me, had she been paying attention. But instead, she was entirely focused on the large cat, completely oblivious to my presence. When she finally came into view, I noted her posture – it matched mine exactly, yet it was different, somehow. More…fluid and graceful, yet also much more _animalistic. _Rosalie's blonde locks were tangled and matted, and her long skirt was torn near the hem, likely having been caught in the thick underbrush as she stalked her prey. Despite her disheveled appearance, she was utterly breathtaking, so much so that I suddenly found myself rooted in place, unable to move.

I was no longer aware of the cat, or the decreasing air temperature, or anything else around me. It was as if every other sense had abandoned me – all I could do was stare at her lithe form as she drew nearer to the mountain lion.

Then she sprung. I was well aware of our extraordinary abilities to leap large distances, but I had never seen _her_ do it. Rosalie vaulted from her place on the forest floor, easily landing thirty feet above on a thick branch of the tree next to the cat's. Her sudden movement startled the beast, and it whipped its head skyward, simultaneously hissing as it sought out the perceived threat. Most animals would flee at this moment, but not this intrepid creature. Instead, it held its ground, snarling lowly during the heated stare-down with its competition.

I expected her to drop upon the creature and quickly kill it. But instead, her lips curled back, returning the cat's growl with one of her own. The vibrations from the distinctly feminine snarl hit me like a tidal wave; I blinked several times as my vision clouded over, everything suddenly hued into a deep shade of crimson. My limbs twitched sporadically, and venom began coursing through my mouth at an alarming rate. All at once, I was no longer even remotely interested in the mountain lion – instead, my entire being desperately craved the predator that hovered above the feline, so much so that I felt my knees bend sharply, preparing to spring my body skyward to capture her provoking form.

As I felt my weight shift and my body automatically sinking down into a low crouch, Rosalie launched herself from her tedious perch towards the cat, so quickly that she was nearly a blur as she moved from one tree to the other. The mountain lion shrieked in surprise as she landed gracefully in front of it, instantly leaning forward to thrust her face before the cat's sharp, pointed teeth. I reflexively sucked in a quick breath, startled by her brazenness, and honestly, nervous for her safety as she stared down the beast, her red eyes mere inches from his snarling jaws. That feeling of protecting her had surfaced before in the cabin, therefore I wasn't completely unfamiliar with it. Yet, I still didn't understand why I would feel such a way, since the cat obviously posed no life-threatening danger to her. Both continued their threatening low hisses at one another, but neither moved – offensively, or defensively. It was as if they were both taunting their prey, casually toying with their next meal.

Although all of this took place in a matter of a few, short seconds, I felt like time had stopped. My vision was still blurred, but I could clearly make out Rosalie's tantalizing form above me. I had to have her – _now. _All rational thought was gone from my mind – I was prisoner to a force more primal and powerful than I ever knew existed, and the thick rivulets of venom that seeped down my throat screamed for blood. Glorious, _red _blood.

As I flew upwards into the tree, Rosalie sprang forward, capturing the brave cat between her arms as she thrust her face against its thick neck. The beast screeched in fury, raising a heavy paw to swat at her hair, claws fully extended. She buried her face deeper against the animal, and the next howl that escaped the feline's throat was much higher pitched. _Absolute terror. _Finally, the cat was aware that it was no longer the predator, but the unfortunate prey for the lissome woman whose razor-sharp teeth had successfully torn a hole into its jugular.

I landed noiselessly on the branch behind the two, and instantly rushed forward to quench my own thirst. I still could not, in the slightest, comprehend my body's primordial desire. _Was I seeking to kill her? _

Through the red haze, I found one minuscule shred of understanding as I mentally flailed against my involuntary actions. _You won't kill her. _But what was I after, then?

_Blood. _Something deep inside of me roared upon wholly registering the scent, and I impulsively pounced forward, joining the two beasts struggling high above the forest floor.

The cat screamed again, still hanging onto life by a tautly-stretched thread. It extended its paw out to bat me away, but I easily slid out of reach, its claws hitting Rosalie's back and ripping four large holes into her blouse. As the feline's cries began to dwindle with its ebbing life, I unthinkingly thrust my face near the two, completely baffled by my actions. _Was I seeking out the cat's blood? _The sweet smell permeated the air around us, even managing to mask Rosalie's undeniably enticing scent as she remained rigidly frozen, still greedily drinking from the beast's throat. _Was she even aware of my presence?_

My hands moved forth of their own accord, grasping the nearly deceased cat by its shoulders and pushing it away from Rosalie's hungry mouth. Her grip was stronger though, and she continued to hold the body tightly, refusing to cease her drinking. A loud growl emitted from deep inside my chest as I moved to rip the cat away from her hold again. I wasn't sure if it was my animalistic utterance, or something else altogether that finally made her aware of my presence. But whatever it was, it made her pull back from the cat, allowing me to successfully shove the dead creature out of the tree.

Rosalie hissed in anger, whipping her head around to face me, her lips curled back to reveal a perfect set of blood-stained teeth. I was only a few inches away, and could practically taste the blood from my close proximity. _Was it the _blood_ that I was craving so desperately? _Before I could attempt to sort through that thought, my body was in motion again, propelling forward to capture her engorged, red lips with mine. Even with the urgent movement of my mouth against hers, my tongue still snuck out to taste the remnants of the cat's sweet blood. But as I savored its heady flavor, I was shocked to find that the tantalizing substance wasn't in the least what my roguish body was craving.

Still, I couldn't stop kissing her. I expected Rosalie to push me away and fight me off, territorial over her recent kill, but instead, the moment I touched her lips, she reached around and painfully fisted her hand in my hair. It was like she had been expecting all of this, waiting for me to interrupt precisely as I had. Once again, my brain refused to function at my request, ignoring my attempt to analyze and rationalize each of these crazy responses that had begun with my secret observation of her sensual hunt.

I heard a cracking sound from beneath us as Rosalie pressed forward, trying to bring us closer together from our awkward position on the branch. Then we were both on the ground, still attached at the lips, neither of us paying any mind to our apparent tumble from the tree above.

My vision clouded more forcefully now - all I could see were rivers of thick, red blood. I rolled atop Rosalie, crushing my lips more cogently to hers, trying to slake this overwhelming need for something I couldn't identify. She growled fiercely as I pressed both of my palms to her cheeks, holding her head still. Her eyes flashed open, searching mine out, and I was vaguely aware that hers were no longer crimson, despite the red that flooded my sight. I was staring into a pair of pitch-black orbs. Before I could even attempt to contemplate their bizarre color, a voice that had been strangely absent suddenly rang through my head.

_Your eyes – they're black._

At first, I thought I had completely lost my mind, and the soft voice I was now hearing must have been the verbal rendition of my own, single fleeting thought. But then it happened again — a similar voice flashed through my brain that most definitely wasn't my own.

_I want to bite him._

Clarity abruptly registered within my mind - I was hearing her thoughts again. But it was more than that – the deep-seeded craving that had tortured my body since I had first laid eyes upon her was slowly coming into focus. Before my brain could take advantage and start to process this bout of lucidity, primal instinct took over again. My ravenous lips pulled away from hers and raced down her slender throat until they reached her prominent collarbone. Then, I felt them curl back, baring my teeth that avariciously sunk themselves into her soft flesh.

Rosalie cried out and reflexively pushed me off of her as she sprang up into a squatting position. She balanced on her toes, arms out-stretched defensively as she watched me warily. I was in shock – _why did I bite her? _But before I could delve into any semblance of reason behind my ludicrous actions, I found myself flung on my back, Rosalie straddled above my body, effectively pinning me down.

We stared at one another for a moment, her eyes still a piercing black, despite the red hue of everything else in my vision. I desperately tried to activate my mind - _my rationality_ - to figure out exactly what was happening to me, _to us_. But it was pointless…I had lost the ability to think. All I could do was act, which my body gladly did.

I reached up to capture her arms, to pull her down to me, but I didn't need to. She was already bending forward on her own, until her face was flush with mine. I felt her sweet breath wash over me, momentarily concealing the permeating scent of blood, earth and flesh. I reveled in it, gulped it down, trying to find a way to mollify the burning ache for that one thing I needed so badly. Pushing myself up, I pressed my lips to hers, hoping that this might be the remedy to cool the burn deep inside, but it only made it worse.

She kissed me back with increasing urgency for several minutes before working her way along my jaw. If my brain had been functioning properly, I could have predicted her path and subsequent action and could have possibly prevented it. But oddly, I had no such desire to stop her, because maybe this was the cure to my sudden, mad need for an unnamed poison.

Rosalie bit my neck quickly, causing me to cry out like she had just a minute earlier. But as swiftly as her teeth penetrated my tender skin, they were gone, replaced by her soft lips, covering the slight wound with repeated kisses. The pain was foreign, yet blissfully _right. _She bit me again, lower, then kissed the same spot.

Bite.

Kiss.

_Again._

I had no idea how long this lasted, but the sharp prick of each bite both placated my wayward desires, and also made them more acute. Suddenly, my body knew exactly what it needed to soothe the fanatical urges that coursed through my system. I rolled her back over, bent my head down, and bit _her_ again, this time right behind her ear. The feeling of her skin succumbing to my incisors sent another rush of red across my sight, subsequently feeding that single, unattainable compulsion. I couldn't begin to understand why I craved this so badly, but it no longer mattered, because my will was utterly shackled and gagged as my mouth dictated every further movement.

As I slid my fiery lips down to seek out the crook of her neck, I bit down again, harder than before. Rosalie screamed out, but not in pain. _In absolute, complete ecstasy._ The sound of her cries spurred me forward, and as the world continued to swim in a vast sea of red, I bit her again.

_More._

Nothing existed but the red, and the soft, supple feel of her flesh yielding to my greedy teeth.

* * *

_So......questions? Comments? This is my answer to why Edward does not want Bella anywhere near him when he's hunting.... (heh heh)_

_Let me know what you think! (reviews are better than birthday presents, and my birthday is quickly approaching. Plus, I gave you two chapters in one week....)_


	16. Esoterica

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_Angstward is back...I couldn't keep him away from long, especially after the events of the last chapter! But good ole Sexward refused to stay away too. Anyone noticing a pattern here? :)_

_There's a bit of a 'nod' to the movie Sixteen Candles in this chapter. Let me know if you catch it!_

* * *

I felt like I had been asleep for days, years; centuries. My eyes opened to pitch black. _Not red. _Black sky above; trees, no stars. Absolute silence. _Where was I?_

Slowly, my mind made its way back to me. Memories of the past few hours flickered on at random, one by one, like individual light bulbs. The card game. The fight. The mountain lion. The insatiable thirst for _something..._

I bolted up, whipping my head around, frantically in search of Rosalie. When my eyes finally caught sight of her, she was lying on her back, eyes closed, just a foot away from me - absolutely silent and still. _Was she dead?_

"Rosalie." I whispered her name almost reverently, both anxious for her to answer, yet at the same time absolutely terrified as more memories flooded through my head - her eyes no longer crimson, my teeth sunk into her flesh, cries of pain; then, _absolute rapture_.

Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head to gaze at me, her face perfectly void of emotion.

_What happened?_

"I don't…know," I stuttered, still trying to sort through the haphazard flashes of those ubiquitous, heathen events that continued to plague my mind. Slowly, she sat up and looked around, taking in her bearings before finally speaking.

"I was hunting…" Rosalie frowned sharply as her eyes glanced down to appraise her filthy outfit. "And you followed me."

"Yes."

She let her gaze drift up, eventually meeting my pained stare. "And then you jumped into the tree, and…_kissed _me."

The words came out of her mouth in such a way as to suggest that the mere thought of my lips upon hers was entirely incomprehensible. Without thinking, I coughed back a laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You make it sound like you've never been kissed before," I retorted, still snickering at her incredulous expression.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and sniffed. "Of course I have. Just not like _that._"

I let her words sink in, marrying them up with the broken memories from our latest tryst before replying.

"I…don't know what to say," I finally admitted, pinching my nose in frustration and letting my eyes drift shut as I continued to try and make heads or tails of everything that had happened. "I'm sorry."

She sniffed again and looked away. "I wasn't necessarily complaining."

My eyes snapped open. "Oh? Then what _were_ you insinuating, exactly?"

"I just don't remember everything, and I really wish I did."

"Well, you _did_ bite me. Several times, actually," I chuckled awkwardly.

Rosalie whipped her head back, simmering in irritation. "_You _bit me first!"

That declaration helped sift the random images that continued to flitter through my head into more of a correct order. Gradually, the memories of my actions were beginning to form a cohesive story – the puzzle slowly coming together.

I glanced away from her exasperated stare, now noticing the wide tears in her clothes. Motioning towards them, I stumbled sheepishly through the question. "Did I…do that to your, um, blouse and skirt?"

She followed my gaze, tracing a wide gash in the fabric along her shoulder with her finger. "At this point, anything is possible." As she continued to study the tattered remains of her outfit, I realized that for some strange reason, she didn't seem in the least bit self-conscious. I, on the other hand, continually averted my eyes in embarrassment, trying not to notice when her movements caused some of the tears to gape open, revealing a fair amount of her pale skin.

"So, you don't remember either?" she questioned softly, finally looking back over to me. The edge in her voice from earlier was gone; now she sounded timid and bewildered.

I shook my head, still averting my gaze. "Nothing really, after a certain point."

"Has this – happened before? To you, or to Carlisle and Esme?"

Finally, I found the strength to look into her crimson eyes, causing another memory of my skewed vision from before to nearly sidetrack my current train of thought. "Not that I'm aware of. But definitely not to me."

We both looked away this time, a sudden, uncomfortable silence filling the air. I felt the old, familiar wall come up around Rosalie's thoughts, which I was actually grateful for. Because she was most likely thinking the same thing I was – at what point did we _stop _during our encounter? Thankfully we were both still clothed, though Rosalie's outfit was ruined beyond repair, and clearly suggested that something, or _someone_ had damaged it. Really, there was only one way to know for sure what had occurred if we were both unable to remember, and although I really didn't want to go down that path, I felt it was only fair to suggest it for Rosalie's sake.

"I suppose we could ask Carlisle…" I began, but she effectively cut me off.

"No!" Jumping to her feet, she reached up with her left hand to hold the revealing gash in her blouse closed. "They don't need to know about this."

Nodding in agreement, I couldn't help but notice a prominent bite mark near her collarbone. Without thinking, I reached out, leaning forward to tenderly touch it. "I'm so sorry." I couldn't help but think back to her assault, and how Royce could have done a similar thing. _I'm such a monster._

She flinched at my words, but not my touch, as she reached up with her right hand to hold mine against her shoulder. "Just don't say anything to Carlisle and Esme. Please?" Her eyes pleaded with me, and I nearly asked her out loud why she was so concerned with keeping them oblivious. But deep down I knew exactly why – I too, did not want our latest escapades made public. Though I couldn't exactly answer why I felt that way, I instinctively just _did_. Our tumultuous relationship was no one's business but our own, and letting Carlisle and Esme know that we were actually capable of moments of civility, let alone more _intimate _encounters would only build their case of thrusting us together into an eternal union. Betrothed to one another and hating every moment of it as our free-will was snatched away.

"I won't," I promised solemnly, unable to look away from her importune stare. We stood like that for several minutes, my hand resting on her supple skin, her hand covering mine. Almost imperceptibly, she began to lean forward, never breaking our gaze. My free hand rose unconsciously until it rested on her waist, slowly pulling our bodies together until we were effectively flush against one another. Still, we did not speak, yet we communicated easily with our eyes, memorizing every minute detail of each other's face. The energy passing between us was incredibly foreign and powerful – at first I dismissed the feeling as one of residual, lascivious tendency. But the urge to kiss her was not foremost in my mind like before and I could no longer decipher my own emotions.

Rosalie's lips were now less than in inch from mine. "What's wrong?" she murmured, her cool, sweet breath washing over my face. I inhaled instinctively, savoring the aroma of honeysuckle that was so distinctly _her._

"I – don't know," I answered truthfully, still captivated by her inquisitive stare. Bothered by the mystification surrounding my inability to label the unfamiliar feelings coursing through me, I searched out her thoughts, looking for a breech in their protective wall. She seemed to be perfectly at ease standing so close to me, just letting me _hold _her.

When I found no way through her mental barrier, I sighed dejectedly. "What now?" I knew no other way to phrase my ineptitude at detangling this new _thing _that seemed to be growing between us.

She just shook her head, a pained shadow crossing her face for the briefest of moments. Her lips barely brushed mine, completely chaste-like before the mask came down. No longer was I peering into her soul – once again, she was the self-assured Rosalie, full of spitfire and vinegar as she released my hand upon her shoulder and stepped back from my embrace.

"I should go back and change." My eyes flitted downward against my will to appraise her tattered outfit, causing me to wince. When I looked back up, Rosalie rolled her eyes at my actions, obviously not pleased. "You shouldn't come with."

A snicker escaped before I could stop it. "Obviously. What do you plan to tell them? They sent me looking for you – they'll still be there when you return." She frowned upon hearing this unfortunate news.

"I'll tell them I got a little rough with a cat." She looked pointedly at me, emphasizing the word 'cat'.

"They'll want to know if we crossed paths," I said delicately. "Carlisle and Esme will never believe that I was unable to find you."

Rosalie huffed. "I'll think of something." She turned on her heel to start back towards the house. I watched her take a few steps before I spoke up.

"Wait!" She stopped, but didn't turn to face me. "We'll need to have our stories straight…"

Her shoulders slumped in a strange indication of understanding, but still, she refused to turn around. "I'll meet you at our rock."

And with that, she raced off into the night, a fleeting, pale specter disappearing through the towering black undergrowth.

* * *

Sitting alone upon our venerated rock and watching the sun begin its slow climb into the cloudless sky, I thought about the events of the past twelve hours as I waited for Rosalie to arrive.

What _had _happened, exactly, during her hunt? There were still large gaps missing in my memory from the evening, most of which occurred after our fall from the tree. _Why had I been so driven to bite her? Was it because of the appealing cat? _Admittedly, they were my favorite prey – could competition for the beast had driven me to act in such a way?

Although that logic made adequate sense, I knew it wasn't right. If I were only after the cat, then why would I have continued to go after _her _once the animal was dead? And even though my recollection was sketchy regarding every detail of the hunt, I instinctively knew I could have more aggressively fought her for the beast if I so desired. _But you didn't. _No, it wasn't the bloodlust for the mountain lion that drove us to our venery.

Which led me to the next, more plausible reason. _Sexual yearnings. _Unwillingly, my teeth curled back from my lips in disgust as I considered that possibility. It wasn't that I _didn't _find Rosalie attractive in a physical way – quite the opposite, actually, if I were being frank with myself. But still, I refused to believe that my primitive, carnal desires had driven my actions in such a way, completely overruling my rational command of my body. Although her torn garments suggested such possible _activities, _I ruled out that theory almost immediately, refusing to believe such a thing could have occurred without one of us remembering _something_.

So what had happened then? Why were both of us driven to such an insane display of animalistic behavior?

_Edward._

She called to me silently from far below; I still could not hear her quiet footsteps upon the forest floor. The tone of her thought seemed to hold the slightest bit of longing, which thoroughly surprised me. After everything that had happened, the last thing I expected was her to _want _to see me. I had been preparing myself for a predictable, minacious attitude since we parted ways in the deep woods, especially since she was burdened with the task of explaining her outfit to Carlisle and Esme. That had worried me the most –what would they think when she returned looking like that after _I _was sent out to find her?

_I can sense your torment a mile away._

As Rosalie stepped through the trees, I met her steady gaze, then rolled my eyes at her dubious thought.

"I'm serious. Your face gives you away every time." She leapt gracefully onto the rock where I sat, situating herself a comfortable few feet from me. I took in her improved appearance; she was donning a new dress that complimented her figure perfectly, as well as to emphasize the translucent glow of her pale skin. Her golden locks had been washed and swept back away from her face. Once again, she was breathtaking. I wondered if she had ever gone a day in her life where her appearance wasn't absolutely stunning.

Still staring at her alluring form, she finally jolted me out of my trance by opening her mind fully to me.

_Edward, you can stare at me later. We need to talk._

My eyes jerked upward, fearful of the wrath I expected to see, yet her countenance rang true in her thoughts.

_First, your alibi._

I simply nodded, making sure to keep my eyes on her face, and not let them drift elsewhere.

_I told them you found me after I killed the cat, and after rather annoyingly making sure I was not injured, I demanded that you leave me so I could attend to my wardrobe without your _prying _eyes._

The chortle that slipped from my lips was startlingly loud in the early dawn air; instantly, I covered my mouth to stifle the laughter that continued to plague me.

_You find my excuse funny? Thankfully, they bought it._

I nodded swiftly, looking away from her to the treetops in the distance, struggling to compose myself. Although I knew I should be _annoyed _with her story, in reality it was quite humorous - even if she did smarmily add a disturbingly accurate detail. One that I hoped Carlisle and Esme would never discover to be true.

_Are you done now?_

"Yes," I replied, swallowing down another chuckle. Taking a deep, resounding breath, I finally looked back to her, my face stoically somber. Though I suspected that hiding my true emotions would become increasingly Sisyphean around this remarkably perceptive creature.

"So it's done," she said, switching her internal dialogue to speaking out loud. "I'm confident they don't suspect anything, particularly after I harangued both of them for sending you after me."

My eyes grew wide at her truthful admittance, and the words spilled out of me in an uncensored fashion. "You actually berated them for sending me after you?"

Rosalie nodded solemnly. "I meant what I said before. They can't know about this."

"I agree. But…what is_ this_?" There, it was finally out in the open. I couldn't hold it in any longer – we needed to figure _this_ out. Or at least, I did.

She pursed her lips together, studying me for a moment before looking away in frustration, simultaneously replacing the wall around her thoughts. "I…don't know."

"I've been thinking about last night, and I –" my hands came up, rubbing my temples in distress as I looked down, forcing the words out. "I don't understand what happened."

Rosalie shifted on the rock, leaning forward to tilt my chin up so that I was looking directly into her bright eyes. "Nothing _happened _last night, Edward. We just acted like the creatures Carlisle destined us to be."

My jaw gaped as I struggled to process her words. "What do you mean?"

"You've never let yourself lose control before, have you? Not like that, at least."

I continued to stare at her, absolutely speechless and wondering how she was so easily able to understand. As if hearing my thoughts, she continued.

"I thought about it on the run home. Although I don't remember _everything, _I suddenly had this moment of clarity – like I _knew _what happened without really comprehending the sequence of events. I think our…_behavior_…was instinctual. Natural."

Finally I found my voice. "But if that were the case, then why wouldn't something like that have happened before, when hunting with Carlisle and Esme? Or even between us?"

Rosalie smiled sweetly at me, still holding my chin in her hand. "We've never hunted together."

"Regardless, it's never happened before, and I've never seen the others act so – _monstrous_ either. Wouldn't you think…?" I couldn't finish my thought, because the resounding truth of her words finally sunk in.

"Does this mean –"

She moved her hand, covering my mouth in an indication for me to stop. Her mouth opened as to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, she unveiled her mind to me.

_I'm not ready to answer that. Are you?_

Rosalie was right - it was too much to think about and process. My head throbbed between my fingertips that continued to circle my temples, thoroughly exhausted from trying to work through everything that had happened. It was simply_ too much_. Sighing loudly, I pulled away from her, turning to the side so I could stretch out on my back and stare up at the lightening sky.

"Edward, what are you thinking?"

Normally, such a statement would cause me to laugh out loud. She was always such a keen observer that she automatically knew exactly what I was thinking without having to ask.

"I'm just having a hard time understanding all of this." Strangely, blatant honesty seemed to be my only recourse.

Rosalie shifted again, mimicking my posture and laying down on her half of the rock, still a safe distance away from me. "What, exactly?"

"Everything, Rose." For a split second I considered sharing all of my conflicting thoughts; my desire for her attention coupled with my hatred of her temperament. The acute pressure I felt from Carlisle and Esme for us to join together as they had, and my indescribable urge to fight their wishes, even though I found myself continually seeking out Rosalie's company. Was I just lonely, starved for companionship other than my parental figures? And if so, would I be acting this same way around _any _random girl Carlisle decided to bring into the family? It was all too much to bear.

I moved to sit up, prepared to jump off the rock and just lose myself in the backwoods of the surrounding mountains. Even without hearing every one of her thoughts, her very physical presence distracted me, steering my mind away from sorting through all of this and urging me to just relinquish control again and act on pure instinct. But every time that fleeting thought seemed plausible, even _enjoyable_, the muddled memory of the night before would plague my mind and I'd find myself back to wallowing in uncertainty. I simply couldn't handle it.

Right as my feet slid to the ground, I felt a hand clasp around my wrist.

"Don't go."

I whipped my head around and snarled in defiance before jerking my hand away from her grasp. "Like you can stop me." All of my pent-up aggravation over my own inability to sift through my emotions was now entirely focused at her. I should have felt bad for the outburst, but I was incapable of apologizing. My brain was beginning to shut down, but not before directing my body to flee once again.

I had taken three large strides away from the rock and down the slope when I was hit from behind and forcibly knocked flat on my face. Hissing in anger, I tried to push myself up, but found that my attempts were futile as my arms were suddenly pinned behind my back.

"You know, I really do contemn this attitude of yours." Her hot breath washed against my left ear as she growled out the words. I asked you _not_ to go."

"And do you expect me to comply with your every whimsical wish, _Rose_?" I didn't think twice about using her pet name in such a circumstance, because I was now furious with her. Everything wrong in my life was _her_ fault. Carlisle, Esme and I could all be happily living in New York, or some other locale without the strain and constant headache of babysitting a churlish newborn who thought the world revolved around her. How could I ever think for even a second that I was the slightest bit _attracted_, let alone _interested_ in her in any sort of romantic way?

Just as my thoughts began to visibly seethe out of every pore, she compulsorily rolled my body around until she had me pinned on my back, my arms still shackled by her vise-like hands. Inwardly I cursed her newborn strength, vowing to repay this malignant use of her power tenfold once she was older. I'd make her regret ever laying a finger on me.

Again, she quite virtually read my mind. Though I wasn't really trying to mask my emotions, I was still rather startled by her ability to pluck each and every one of them so effortlessly from the contours of my twitching face.

"I know what's going through that pretty little head of yours, because the same thing goes through mine every waking minute of the day." She leaned forward, her nose practically touching my own. "And don't think for a minute that I don't wish for my old life back, my inevitable _death,_ instead of being stuck in this hellhole with you."

Blinking in shock, I continued to watch the fire dance within her eyes as she continued.

"And to answer your prior question, you may not know it now, dear Edward, but you already do comply with my _every wish_." She held my gaze for just a split second more, almost seeming to challenge me to retort. When I didn't reply, she crushed her lips to mine, painfully hard, then pulled away.

Without thinking, my devious body raised up so that I could recapture her lips with mine, returning the heated and passionate kiss with even more intensity than she had displayed. And before my mind completely quit working, one last thought trickled through my conscious.

_She's absolutely right._

* * *

_AN: Check out the Betrothed discussion thread on Twilighted, linked in my profile. Also, the new and enhanced playlist is up!_

_Betrothed is in the process of getting translated to Portuguese by the utterly awesome Gabrielle Briant! Check out the link in my profile. _

_Thanks again to all of the awesome readers out there! You guys are the best!_


	17. Discovery & Deceit

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: Sorry for the slow update on this chapter – the reasons are numerous, but at least I got it done, while sitting on a plane last night surrounded by the smell of vomit (yes, the poor child sitting directly behind me got sick while our plane was stuck on the taxi-way at JFK, waiting to take off behind 32 other planes. It was not a good night). Thankfully, there will be no ill vampires in this chapter – unless you count Edward. And that's his own fault. _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

She released her hold on my wrists and tangled her hands painfully in my hair, forcing my head to tilt back as she hungrily reciprocated my ravenous kiss. Her honeysuckle scent saturated the air around us, thoroughly drugging my mind. I couldn't think – couldn't process everything she had said seconds before attacking my mouth, couldn't rationalize our bizarre behavior every time we were together. It was as if we were driven to the brink of insanity, yet an unyielding magnetism seemed to draw us together nonetheless, sparking frequent bouts of exasperation marbled with occasional tendrils of understanding.

Because honestly, I understood her hatred for this new life more than anyone realized, including her.

Rosalie pushed me back down so that I was lying beneath her, still prisoner to her fervid touch. As she continued to kiss me, she shifted her position so that she was hovering above me, yet she didn't place her full weight upon my hips. Something deep inside of me yearned to feel her stretched out along my body, and my hands moved on their own accord, reaching up to grasp and pull her more tightly against me. Suddenly, she froze, her lips breaking away in one quick movement.

Very slowly, she started to rise, removing her hands from my hair and capturing my wrists once more. I studied her crimson eyes, perplexed by this abrupt change in behavior. Unconsciously I searched out her thoughts, wondering what would make her stop so unexpectedly - but there was nothing to find; the wall was firmly in place.

She didn't move from her position atop my lap - instead, she sat up straight, closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath to calm herself. Her peculiar behavior was beginning to worry me – I was used to her anger and smarminess, but not this. It almost felt like she was submitting to some unspoken power; I could feel her muscles relaxing, her hold on my wrists growing weaker. Something was _wrong_.

"What is it?" My strained voice sounded foreign in the warm morning air, causing her to open her eyes and look down at me. I swallowed stiffly, a thousand thoughts racing through my head as I tried to decipher her unusual actions.

Rosalie continued to gaze at me, and although her body remained lax, I could see the slightest flicker of excitement growing behind her eyes. She cocked her head to the side. "I don't know."

Warily, I appeased her expression, once again probing her mind, but finding nothing. Then she did something odd – very gently, she released my wrists again, guiding my hands from her hips and weaving her fingers with mine. The innocent gesture caught my attention immediately – something about it felt comforting and familiar. But I couldn't quite discern why.

She held up our intertwined hands, and we both gazed at them in wonder. As the sun continued to climb into the sky above, its radiant beams refracted against our iridescent flesh, melding each of our hands together in the most beautiful way. Slowly, we rotated our wrists – first one, then the other, marveling at the prisms that danced across the grass and leaves surrounding us.

But then I felt something else. At first, it was like being shocked – the slightest hint of searing heat passed between her palms and mine. I flinched in surprise and tried to rip my hands away, but her grip tightened, preventing any escape.

A second jolt of warmth shot up my arms from our entwined fingers, traveling through my entire body. I tore my eyes away from our hands and looked back to Rosalie again, my jaw agape. _What was happening?_

Her expression mirrored my own, only her eyes danced with fascination as she stared at our hands. "Edward, how are you doing that?"

My brow furrowed in confusion. "How am I doing what?"

"That…_sensation_. It's coming from you." Shifting her grip, she rotated her wrist so that my arm and hand were visible above hers. "I…" She started to speak, then stopped for a second, tilting her head once more. "It's warm. Very warm"

"Your hand has always felt warm to me," I said quietly. I didn't want to admit that I was feeling exactly what she was trying to describe, because I was suddenly scared stiff. Were we supposed to feel _this_ when we touched? If so, why hadn't I felt it so strongly before? Was this somehow related to the wildness of our earlier hunt?

Rosalie was shaking her head repeatedly, an inquisitive smile forming on her face. "No, this is something else." And with that, she let go of both of my hands and pushed them away, then held hers up above us at eye-level, studying her palms with great interest.

"Now it's gone."

I lay quietly beneath her, waiting for her next move. Slowly, she dropped her hands back down to her side and looked at me. "Did you feel it too?"

Pursing my lips together, I tried to keep my face blank. It didn't work.

"I know you did." She bent down, lifting her right hand to brush the backs of her fingers along my cheek. The second our skin touched, a brilliant spark of electricity shot through my entire body. I jumped in fright, but couldn't flee with Rosalie still sitting atop me. She flinched as well, but recovered immediately, resting one finger along my jaw. The current that flowed between her hand and my face was exquisitely palatable. And absolutely terrifying.

Hesitantly, she rocked onto her knees, now kneeling above me, about to stand. She pulled her hand away from my face and stared at it curiously before looking back into my eyes.

"I'm sorry I tackled you." She rose to her feet, extending one arm down to help me to mine. I balked, afraid to touch her again.

Rosalie smirked devilishly, but something was different this time – there was no malice or mockery in her expression. I anticipated some jest regarding my hesitation, but instead, she unveiled her mind to me.

_Take my hand – I won't hurt you._

"Sure you won't." I continued to stare at her suspiciously, not sure what to believe. She _appeared _to be telling the truth – but I couldn't forget those strange sensations when we touched.

She sighed in frustration.

_Edward, don't be a pansy. Let me help you up. Please?_

That sounded more like the Rosalie I was used to – except for her last word. It was utterly sincere – I could read every thought behind it, and there was no longer any doubt about her genuineness. But I was still extremely nervous to take her hand again, so I reached up to grasp her covered elbow instead, firmly steering her away from me before hopping to my feet. There was still a flash of heat when I gripped her arm, but not like before. This one was…tolerable.

As I turned to face her, I noticed she was scrutinizing my movements from the corner of her eye. Though as soon as she recognized my awareness, she turned her back to me, pretending to straighten her skirt. I ignored it, mentally fatigued by every other odd thing that had transpired over the course of the past day.

"I should probably head back to the house…" I began, but was instantly interrupted.

_Don't go._

Once again she was pleading with me to stay. I dropped my head in exasperation, utterly confused. "Why shouldn't I?" My tone was flat – devoid of emotion.

_Why go back right now? Is there something urgent that you need to attend to? Or are you just trying to get away from me?_

I shrugged, admitting that I had no reason – or no known reason. It just seemed like the best place to go at the moment – I was sure Carlisle and Esme would begin to wonder why I hadn't returned, and there was my neglected piano silently calling to me…

_Stay for a bit longer?_

"Why?"

Rosalie mimicked my earlier response by shrugging her shoulders. She still faced away from me, picking at the bits of grass and debris on her blouse and skirt. I waited for a solid answer, but got none. Before thinking it through, I blurted out the first thing that crossed my mind.

"By the way, is there a reason why you're being nice to me now?"

She whipped around, eyes wide. Her jaw flexed, preparing to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she answered me silently.

_Was I that bad before?_

Her face revealed the tone of her thought – she wasn't bitter or irritated, nor was she remorseful. The question was meant factually; honestly. So I responded in the same way.

"I'm just not used to you talking to me without some undertone of sarcasm or spite."

_That's not entirely true – I've spoken to you plenty of times in a pleasant manner. _

"Maybe so, but usually it doesn't follow you verbally and physically assaulting me."

Rosalie snorted, pressing her lips together to hold in the inevitable laughter that threatened to bubble over. I felt a simper creep onto my face after watching her reaction. The mood between us had instantaneously shifted from serious to silly in a nanosecond.

_Maybe next time you should listen when I ask you to stay._

I rolled my eyes. "Oh that's right, I'm supposed to comply with your every wish."

She tried to hide a smile.

_It's not about what you're supposed to do. I think you secretly want to._

The air between us suddenly became still; her thoughts no longer teasing in nature. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck began to rise as I felt that alien current of energy hum between us again. And we weren't even touching.

As if being pulled forward by some unseen tether, I felt my foot take a step towards her. She did the same. We were only a couple feet apart, and hesitantly, Rosalie raised her arm, tracing her fingers along my shoulder. Instantly, my entire body was flushed with fever, causing me to shiver uncontrollably.

_Why is this happening?_

I was too afraid to answer her – instead, I lowered my head, shaking it once. Nothing that had occurred between us made any sense, but this gravitational draw was by far the most alarming. This didn't feel like everything else – I could arbitrarily excuse the taunting, the arguing, even the kissing as stress and loneliness-induced. But this was something much deeper, and much more complicated. A dull, throbbing ache settled in the pit of my stomach, and some intuitive voice told me the only way to reconcile it was to touch her. Hold her. _Was that what she was feeling as well?_

Unconsciously, I raised my free arm, reaching out, but not touching her. My eyes grew wide as I watched my traitorous body move without direction from my mind. I thoughtthat perhaps I was attempting to touch her as she had touched me.

But Rosalie understood what I was searching for even as I did not. Her gaze drifted from my raised arm over to my face, focusing for a second on my open mouth, then moved upward to my eyes. Regarding one another intensely, it was as if I could suddenly see straight into her soul.

"Edward…" her voice ached with need, causing the pain in my stomach to double. Reflexively I swallowed back a mouthful of venom, virtually unaware that it had started to pool in my mouth.

My lips trembled as my mind scrambled to focus on all of these new emotions. What was she asking? What was I supposed to do?

Before I could stop myself, I spoke out loud. "Rose."

She took another step forward while simultaneously moving her hand that was resting upon my shoulder around my neck. As her body slowly pressed into mine, I instinctively closed my arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to me like I had tried to do when we were lying on the hill.

The instant we came together in a desperate embrace, it was as if a floodgate opened. All of the anguish and frustration and misery that had been bottled up so tightly within came rushing out of every pore. My shoulders slumped in relief and I nearly collapsed as the heavy weight that had been sitting atop my shoulders for as long as I remembered was suddenly gone. I felt free; relieved. _Happy. _

And through her shared thoughts, she told me she felt the same way too. For the first time since she had been turned, Rosalie was finally at peace as I held her in my arms.

* * *

"So, how have you been, Edward?"

Carlisle sat across from me in his study, his hands folded neatly on the desk. I hadn't been back to the house since the card game, only two days ago. However, that extended absence paired with the nature of my prior departure had left both him and Esme baffled, and slightly suspicious. I could hear their thoughts clearly when I had arrived – although they believed Rosalie's cover story regarding our succinct meeting in the woods, they couldn't understand why I hadn't returned home immediately. My rouse of continually avoiding Rosalie in their presence would no longer be ignored. Carlisle wanted some answers.

I remained chary, despite his open mind. "Fine, Carlisle. And yourself?"

A faint smile crossed his face, warming his eyes.

_I'm fine, son. But I want to know how _you _are doing. Honestly. You're not getting along with Rosalie at all, are you?_

That answer depended on how he defined 'getting along'. The past two days had been…_strange _to put it mildly.

"To be frank, Carlisle, not in the manner that you had hoped. Though I am trying to at least be civil to her." I reminded myself repeatedly to use the singular pronoun. Slipping up and saying _'we're_ trying to at least be civil' would end the charade at once, and give him enough reason to continue to hope for some sort of bond to develop between us.

I beat back the voices in my head reminding me that a connection may have already been formed. _Carlisle doesn't need to know that, _I reminded myself.

He nodded, glancing away in thought.

_And her behavior around you? _

I shrugged, trying to downplay the question as I outwardly lied to him. "It's what I expected."

What I had really expected from her was more of the same, even after our moment of rare tranquility atop our sacred hill. Cattiness. Arrogance. General contempt laced with an odd need for taunting one another. Which led to explosive arguments. Which led to kissing. Then lately, which led to _frequent _kissing. Which led to more fiery quarrels, until we both stormed away, furious with one another. Then the vicious cycle would repeat itself.

But now things had changed.

We had held one another for hours – not speaking, not moving. Just existing with that extraordinary current of energy flowing effortlessly between us. Rosalie's mind had slowly gone blank, and I could literally feel the angst and turmoil exiting her body with each passing minute. I was reluctant to let her go when I noticed the sun setting – and the pained look in her eyes when I finally broke our embrace and stepped away tore my fossilized heart in two. But I needed a few hours alone to attempt to sort through everything that had transpired between us. And more importantly, I needed to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable return to the house, and to the rest of my family.

Carlisle's probing though distracted me from my internal musings.

_Edward, do you want us to intercede? Maybe talk to her – find a way to help you two get along?_

"No. Not at all." I kept my tone impossibly controlled and void of emotion, even though

I could feel my muscles tensing from the increasing stress of deceiving him. _They don't need to know about this. _Rosalie's wish rang repeatedly through my head, spurring me forward and fueling the charade.

Carlisle sighed heavily and glanced over to his bookshelf on the far wall. I expected him to mask his thoughts from me; obviously he was not happy with the contrived situation. But instead, he permitted complete access to his train of thought.

_How do I rectify this situation – close the distance between the two of them? Is it possible for me to help them find some common ground and a way to coexist peacefully with myself and Esme in this house…as a family?_

_Common ground._ If only he knew.

"Is there any chance at all that you can try and make this work?" Carlisle was looking at me once more, but his emotional state had changed dramatically. He wasn't sad or disappointed like his last thought had indicated. Instead, he was downright determined, and I could plainly see in his eyes that 'no' wasn't an acceptable answer to his last question.

I took a deep breath, thinking through my words carefully. I needed to placate his concerns, but I also needed to give us reason to not be forced together in their company, especially as we struggled to work through this perplexing semblance of a relationship. "I'll try and talk to her again. But please, let me do it my way. She'll resist this sort of pressure coming from you and Esme. As much as she detests my presence, it's best if you let me try and resolve this…_alone_."

This time, I spoke the truth. Rosalie _would_ despise any sort of intervention, especially from Carlisle and Esme. After all, she had only been living with us for a very short amount of time. Her parents weren't deceased, nor were they absent from her memory. It was much too soon for her to share the same sort of bond with them; possibly, she never would.

Carlisle lowered his eyes to his clasped hands upon the desk and nodded his head once.

_I understand, and I appreciate your willingness to overcome this issue._

"You're welcome." I felt like such a traitor for lying to him. Carlisle wasn't just my father – he was my best friend, my confidant, and my mentor. Everything I did was for him or Esme, and I knew that they did everything in their power to please me. Such a rapport was built on trust and love, yet here I sat – deliberately leading him to believe that Rosalie and I were still incapable of getting along, just to protect the true nature of our relationship. Self-loathing began to simmer within as I watched him smile kindly at me.

"Again, please keep the lines of communication open, and let me know how you're faring. I'll ask Esme to refrain from pestering Rosalie about the subject – hopefully that will help your cause."

A bile taste flooded my mouth, preventing me from speaking. So instead, I nodded in acknowledgement before standing to depart. He sent me one last thought.

_You and Rosalie are more alike than you'll ever realize. Hopefully you can find some camaraderie within those similarities, son._

Camaraderie – maybe that's what I'd call our…_relationship._

Though even with an innocent sounding name, I still felt dirty for what I had done. Yet despite all of the guilt and apprehension that persistently plagued every cell in my body, my mind instantly became fixated on only one thing as I left the house for the evening.

_Rosalie. _

* * *

_**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - I am participating in the "Support Stacie" author auction, which will be held Saturday, April 4th through Monday, April 6th. I have donated a "tailor-made" fanfic to whomever bids the most for my services. The winner gets to dictate the nature of the fanfic - you want more Music Lessons? Done. More Angstward before he met Bella? Done. Even an AH story? Done. I'm willing to step out of my comfort zone and write pretty much anything for the winner! Bidding starts at $10 and I will pen a fanfic with a minimum word count of 5000 words for the highest bidder. The website and information is on my profile page - please take a moment to visit the site and donate to this wonderful cause!**_

_And don't forget to go check out the Betrothed thread on Twilighted(dot)net. Thanks!_


	18. Submission

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: Again, my apologies for the slow update. Hopefully the nature of this chapter makes up for it!_

* * *

"They want us to get along."

I was on my back, staring up at the multitude of stars blanketing the heavens. Next to me, Rosalie was stretched out in the soft grass of the clearing we had discovered a week earlier, her hands tucked behind her head. She was counting each pinprick of light in her mind, and continued to do so, ignoring my comment. I tried again.

"Rose, they're getting suspicious. We can't keep avoiding one another in their presence. Carlisle wants us all together."

She sighed loudly, causing me to glance over. She was still staring up at the predawn sky, but I heard her cease the monotonous tally as she finally answered me, albeit it silently.

_I suppose it's unavoidable._

I continued to study her delicate features, noticing how her expression gave nothing away despite the tone of her thoughts. _Such an actress._

"We just need to be civil – nothing more."

_They want more than that, Edward._

She finally turned to face me. Rosalie's eyes had been steadily fading from bright crimson to a rusty hue as more gold flecks dotted her irises. The present color itself was magnificent – totally unique to only her, and honestly, quite captivating. But I really couldn't wait to see how much more beautiful she would become once they were fully amber. As she continued to stare at me, I found myself in a bit of a lugubrious trance, unable to look away even if I wanted to. My thoughts drifted back to the taste of her lips against mine, the feel of my fingers tangled in her long, blonde hair…everything about her was thoroughly intoxicating, yet my fascination morphed into perplexity every time I circled back to contemplate the force that irrevocably drew us together.

_We must keep this from them._

Slowly, I nodded in concurrence, despite the fact that I was somewhat confused about _what_ exactly we were struggling to hide. Rosalie repeatedly refused to talk about everything that had been happening – especially the day we quietly held one another up on the hill. I had replayed the scene in my mind dozens of times, trying to figure out what had happened between us to cause the unexplainable vortex of emotions, but I was at a loss to find a suitable label for the incident.

Her lips parted slightly as she took in a breath, her tone shaky. "He made me for you."

My eyes grew wide in shock from her blunt statement, and I felt my body start to shift as I unconsciously rolled to my side to face her fully.

"I…" Struggling to find the words, I paused, but then realized I had no idea what to say. Because Carlisle _had _made her for me, for better or worse. And we both had to live with that stark reality. "I never asked him to," I finally spit out lamely.

Rosalie sneered at me viciously before looking back skyward. "I know that. But it doesn't change_ their_ opinion – or their wishes."

"So because of that reason, you refuse to try and be civil to me in their presence?"

"It'll give them hope."

I rolled my eyes. "I've asked them not to push us together like that."

She sniffed, glancing over at me again. "But what do you hear in their heads? It doesn't change how they feel, Edward. I saw it in both of their eyes during the card game - they want us together in more ways than just friends or adopted siblings."

"Maybe they know something we don't."

Rosalie shot up to a sitting position, pivoting so she fully faced me. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I was torn completely in two – part of me wanted nothing more than to throw everything that had occurred between us out in the open and let the chips fall where they may. But at the same time I was completely terrified – I was incapable of explaining my feelings for her, even to myself. Did I really want to open that can of worms and force us both into an awkward and potentially volatile place?

My mind was much braver than my heart. I felt my mouth open, ready to tell her exactly what I had meant; but at the last minute I completely chickened out.

"I don't know," I uttered quietly, ducking my head in embarrassment and expecting a fair amount of harrowing wrath aimed at my inadequate statement to dispense from her mouth at any second.

But she said nothing. Instead, she reverted back to conversing telepathically.

_I'm afraid, Edward._

Instantly, my head shot back up as I pushed myself forward towards her, reacting automatically to her anxiousness and filled with the sudden urge to protect her from anything in this world that could possibly cause her grief. I wrapped my free arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards me.

_Just hold me like that day on the hill. Make it all go away…_

Happily I obliged, pulling her head into the crook of my neck. I rolled onto my back, bringing her with me so I could wrap my other arm around her waist as I simultaneously buried my face into her sweet-smelling blonde curls. Once again, the energy started to flow effortlessly between every point where our bodies touched, warming the venom in my veins and causing it to race faster and faster. Instinctively, my breathing increased as well, consequently making me nearly hyperventilate as I sucked in deep gulps of her bewitching scent. After several seconds, I became faintly aware that I was rocking us back and forth as I continued to hold her closely; contently. And suddenly I realized with a painful jolt of clarity that I never wanted to let her go.

It was all so _easy_ to exist like this – easy, and oddly comforting. I never had habitual, physical contact with anyone since I had lost my parents. Esme hugged me on occasion, even Carlisle from time to time…but it wasn't the same. Their touch didn't soothe my strained nerves, nor did it stop the torrent of ceaseless thoughts that barreled uncontrollably through my over-burdened mind. It wasn't _uncomfortable_ – but it also wasn't something I craved…something my body yearned for.

Rosalie's touch was the complete opposite – ever since she first kissed me, and especially since that riveting moment up on the hill when the sparks between us became a tangible force, I had been thirsting for not only her attention, but her electrifying touch as well. The only thing more commanding of my attention was inexorable bloodlust.

As I continued to rock us gently back and forth, I felt her grip tighten on my back, almost to an excruciating state.

"Rose, it's okay," I murmured against her, placing a light kiss on her earlobe. Her grip didn't lessen, so I continued to nuzzle my face against her neck, repeating whispers of reassurance as my hands stroked her hair, comforting her the only way I knew.

I gave her a few minutes to calm before speaking again. "I'm here, don't be afraid. I'll always be here for you."

She exhaled loudly before taking in another shuddering breath, almost akin to a sob. _Was she crying? _I pulled back at once, just far enough so I could look into her sorrow-filled eyes. "What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, she just shook her head as she simultaneously closed her inscrutable mind to me. Although that cognizant action never made me _happy, _this particular time it felt like she was pushing me away altogether. My mood instantly reverted to a state of irascibleness, and I felt my jaw tense from the laborious onslaught of new emotions.

I continued to glare at her, waiting to see if she'd read the change in my facial expression and open her mind back up. Or at least say _something_. After all, she always seemed to know exactly what I was thinking at any given time. When she did neither, I felt my frustration mount to a breaking point, and I spoke before thinking through my words.

"What is wrong with you? First you refuse to discuss our relationship like an adult. Then you open your mind and heart up to me, inviting me in, _begging _me to hold and comfort you. But as soon as I comply and try and help you, you shut me out! I can't take this anymore!"

My vision turned red in absolute fury as I released my hold and roughly pushed her away. _I am done with this – and with her, _I told myself repeatedly. A snarl ripped through my throat before I could stop it, and instantly I was on my feet, standing menacingly above her.

"It's over."

Rosalie's eyes grew wide upon hearing those two words, and she jumped to her feet in a split second, hands on her hips. "What on earth are you talking about?" she hissed.

"I'm done with you. And I'm done with your deceit. I can't handle it anymore."

"Edward Cullen!" I fought back the urge to flinch as she spat my name out like vile-tasting ordure. "I have never lied to you, and never deceived you! Why would I start now?"

I narrowed my gaze – she was still blocking me from her mind. That could only mean she was keeping something from me. "You may not be outwardly _lying_, but you're not divulging everything either! You're playing more games – always games, Rose! You claim to be frank with me, yet you pick and choose when to let me into your thoughts, whenever it's convenient for you. I know you're hiding something!"

Laughter erupted from her throat, chiming through the forest around us and effectively silencing every breathing creature within earshot. "_Hiding something? _Remind me again why you continually insist that I allow you into my head at will? Tell me Edward, are you my master? Did part of the eternal arrangement Carlisle bestowed upon us include my servitude to you?" Pausing temporarily during her diatribe, she took a step towards me, pushing her sneering face to within an inch of mine. "Because I don't remember that significant, little detail during his speech!"

"You know you're hiding something. You refuse to talk about _us_!"

She took another step forward, now nose to nose with me. "Us? What about us? There is no 'us', Edward."

As my name seethed from her lips, she finally opened her mind to me, and nearly knocked me off my feet in the process.

_I can't, I won't, I can't let him in. Stop it! You're stronger than this! Fight it, fight it, you know you can…he won't win, he _can't _win, it's not good, I'm not good…_

Brusquely, I grabbed both of her arms, shaking her violently to snap her out of the mental spewing. "What's not good?"

_It's not good, it's not good, you can't do this…_

"Rosalie!" My voice thundered around us, reverberating through the saplings and undergrowth and visibly moving the blades of grass as if a rogue gust of wind had descended from the heavens. "What are you saying?"

She ignored me, teeth clenched in determination, her mind repeating the same thing over and over again. My head throbbed from the mental onslaught as it soaked in the acrimony that dripped from every word.I shook her again.

"Tell me what you mean." I lowered my voice, yet each syllable still reverberated with menace. "Tell me."

Her eyes unfocused, eyelids fluttering as she blinked several times before glancing over my shoulder. I watched as her jaw became acutely lax, yet her mind remained fixated on that infuriating phrase.

_It's not good, it's not good…_

I released my hold on her arms and captured her cheeks in my palm, forcing her gaze back to me. "What's not good?"

She shook her head, mouth still slightly open.

_I can't do this…_

"Tell me Rose. Please!"

Upon hearing her name, she stiffened, and seemed to stare straight through me to some unseen world past my head. I watched in awe as a million emotions flashed through her eyes all at once. I felt my lips part, preparing to ask her again what was going on in that numinous mind of hers. But before I could speak, she hit me with one last thought.

_I just… can't…stop…it…_

She threw her entire weight against me, crushing her lips painfully to mine and knocking me flat on my back. I was still cradling her face, and she jerked my hands away, pinning them above my head as she kissed me like she never had before. All of the angst and tumult and disgruntlement and dolor that had been plaguing her mind came flooding out, transposed into the most fervent passion I had ever witnessed up to that point. My mouth was still parted, and suddenly I tasted her inimitable nectar_ inside_ of me. I was so caught up in her ardent embrace that at first I didn't register the warm sleekness of her tongue slipping between my bruised lips. My mind ordered me to push her away and close my mouth against her assault. But something primordial that was buried deep within directed my body to react in a completely different and unfamiliar way. Instead of pulling back, I pressed further into her embrace and moved my own tongue forward, searching out some unattainable _something _that I couldn't begin to understand.

But Rosalie did understand. The moment she felt me reciprocate her visceral embrace, she opened her mouth further. Before I could stop, we were completely fused at the lips, fighting one another urgently for dominance as my rebellious body rose up to search for some strange sort of connection to hers.

I was entirely lost within myself, unable to form rational thought or analyze my behavior. All I knew was that I had to get closer to her - nothing she did was enough, yet at the same time everything felt so right and so inherently _good_. A voice within my head screamed at me to just let go – stop thinking, stop worrying, stop insisting on controlling every minute detail of my urbane existence. It directed me to forget all society graces and mannerisms that my parents, as well as Carlisle and Esme had taught me – instead, it told me to just subsist as a primitive being, acting on instinct alone. And my instincts at that moment were telling me to either submit or dominate. _Give in to_ _her_.

Since she was indisputably the stronger of both of us, I finally abdicated fully, submitting to her control. She felt my muscles relax immediately, which drove her to tear her hungry mouth from mine and search out my hooded eyes.

"Why'd you stop?" she demanded, gasping for breath.

I tried to focus on her, but my brain was still deliriously nebulous and entirely beyond functional. Unable to speak, I forced my head up to capture her chin with my lips instead.

Rosalie pulled back again, causing me to unknowingly groan in protest. "Answer me!" Her voice was gruff and grating, but it didn't discourage me in the least. Instead, it encouraged me to push myself up even more, this time grazing her silken cheek with my tongue.

She froze in place above me, allowing just enough room for my upper body to bend upwards a few inches off the ground. Unconsciously, my covetous mouth traced a line of impassioned, open-mouthed kisses along her well-defined jaw, eventually leading back to the slight hollow behind her ear. There, I lingered, allowing myself to relish the honeysuckle taste of her creamy skin. Somewhere within the hazy numbness of my present existence, I felt her sigh, a slight tremble dancing through her taunt muscles.

"Edward." Rosalie paused dramatically, her throat contracting twice as she swallowed reflexively. "You never answered me." The resolve from earlier was now completely devoid in her words; no longer was she demanding an answer. Rather, she seemed to be reminding herself that she still needed some sort of reassurance for my lack of struggle. I continued to ignore her words, instead focusing my way down her neck, my tongue laving a trail of venom along her fossilized jugular.

I saw the familiar flash of a thought pass through her distracted mind.

_I can't do this…_

Reaching her prominent collarbone, I tried to tune out her contradictory thoughts, especially since her responsive body was telling me not to stop.

_We shouldn't…_

Finally, I pulled away, falling back to the ground beneath her and breathing heavily myself as I tried to focus my attention on anything but her beguiling face. The lack of my body pressed so intimately against hers distracted her from the spell, and she peered down at me, her face clouded with a mixture of discomfiture and avidity. I was no longer able to avoid her heated gaze. The apparent fervor in her expression left me temporarily breathless – the beautiful, blonde angel I had been surreptitiously coveting hovered just inches above me, her intoxicating breath washing down the planes of my face, causing me to shiver uncontrollably in sheer rapture.

We stared at one another for what seemed to be eternity - that inexplicable current of energy passing between us once more, and quickly growing to a frenzied state. Finally she spoke, repeating her question from earlier.

"Why'd you stop?" she whispered almost inaudibly. The sudden vulnerability in her voice was palatable, and struck a chord deep within my chest. At that very moment, I felt my entire existence bend on its steadfast axis of familiarity, routine, and discretion. And as terrifying of an event as that was, the predominant emotion coursing through my body was the complete opposite of what I expected – _exhilaration_. I felt alive again, and in the same instant that I thrust myself back up into her warm, enticing body, I answered her breathlessly.

"I'm not stopping."

* * *

_AN: Thanks again to everyone who bid in the "Support Stacie" auction – and to the winner, Irodriquez! As always, reviews are appreciated – thanks!_


	19. Kindredness

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

* * *

Stopping was no longer an option. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't fight the invisible tether holding me to her.

I succumbed to it completely, especially when I saw my words register in her head. All at once, her thoughts started to change from brutal denial to acceptance, because no matter how hard she fought it, there was an infinitesimal piece of her that wanted everything I was giving her at that moment. Comfort. Security. Release.

"Quit fighting it, Rose," I whispered in her ear as I pulled her back down to me, hugging her tightly to my chest as I covered her cheek with reassuring kisses. The maelstrom of emotions plaguing her mind kept shifting with every touch of my lips. As I continued to try and allay the overwhelming stress inside her head, I realized just how much I was able to empathize with her at that moment. How often had I felt the same way, tormented by too many self-imposed expectations of what I should be doing versus what I truly _wanted_ to do? The onslaught of guilt and self-deprecation mixed with an unhealthy dose of generalized fear and apprehension was palatable….maybe if I helped rid her of all of it, freeing her mind and soul, she could find some sort of happiness. Maybe by helping her, I could help myself.

Her shoulders tensed as a particularly powerful wave of doubt flooded her thoughts. Responding immediately to the tension, I reached up with one hand to push the back of her head firmly against my neck as I repeatedly murmured, "Let it go. Just let it go."

It took a few minutes for my words to truly comfort her, but eventually I felt the tightness throughout her back and neck slowly begin to dissipate. As I continued to stroke her hair in reassurance, her thoughts finally started to shift to a better frame of mind. I could sense a tiny sliver of contentment deep within her, begging to show itself – and then I felt her warm lips against my neck.

Rosalie had kissed me numerous times, but it was always driven by some overpowering emotion that caused her over-aggressive behavior. Dissatisfaction. Resentment. Occasionally newborn lust. Each of them had taken over her psyche and drove her to act out, seeking some kind of release from the mounting pressure. I was used to those heated moments between us, and often welcomed them, because more times than not I shared her disgruntlement and knew no better way to dispel it.

However, this time it was different. She kissed me almost reverently as her gentle mouth caressed my skin. For a fleeting moment I was absolutely terrified; afraid to acknowledge what her scrambled mind and body were obviously indicating. _She needs you. _But I heeded my own advice and refused to let my fears rule my reactions. Her touch felt good, _right_. It was my own, personal tourniquet applied to my lifeless heart – the only thing that made the future seem the least bit tolerable.

I now had a purpose – I would be Rosalie's pillar of understanding. It felt surprisingly good to put a label on our relationship at long last, and gave me the outlet to focus on something other than our morose existence.

For several seconds, I allowed myself to bask in her pleasurable affections, clearing my own mind and concentrating only on the sensation of her body on top of mine – until I saw her thoughts change again, fixating specifically on me as she shifted her weight and pulled away from my embrace.

_What's wrong?_

"Nothing." I leaned back to study her expression, and to show her I was speaking the truth.

Rosalie's brow was creased, the tension from before evident in the tightened skin around her eyes.

_Why are you looking at me that way?_

"What way?"

She rolled her eyes, pushing herself further apart from me to almost a kneeling position. "Tell me what you're thinking, Edward."

I pursed my lips together out of habit, and debated her request. Despite the sudden clarity in our relationship, I still balked at the thought of opening myself completely to her. It was one thing to act as her sounding board – but it was another to let her into _my _head.

"Nothing of consequence." It wasn't a lie, but she still didn't believe me, and sighed loudly in protest.

_You are _such_ an infuriating creature, Edward. _

Ignoring the cantankerous acidity in her thought, I pushed her back until she was sitting on my lap. I sat up, wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. "As are you, Rose."

I felt her tense, ready to push me away, but before she had the chance, I buried my face in her intoxicating hair and inhaled deeply. She involuntarily shuddered as I stroked her back, letting myself revert back to instinctual mode as I held her in my arms.

"We can get along if we try," I said softly. Again, the thought of helping her made me feel strangely optimistic and _hopeful._

_Just because I let you into my mind?_

I shook my head, then kissed her cheek again. "Let me help you."

"I don't need your _help_." She didn't pull away.

"Quit arguing for the sake of arguing."

Rosalie leaned into me, resting her chin on my shoulder. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

I shrugged and fought back a smile. "Who said I was?"

_I thought you didn't like games, Edward._

Instead of answering her, I pulled back just far enough so I could stare into her eyes. She was so incredibly beautiful – how could there be so much strife beneath the exquisiteness of her body? Unwillingly, my thoughts went to Royce. How had he treated her _before_ the attack? Had she never been truly respected, but rather put on a pedestal, loved only for her attractiveness and used to decorate his shallow, upper-class existence?

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "Friends?"

She snorted and narrowed her eyes. "You still didn't answer my question."

A devious smirk overtook my expression as I started to realize that I actually _enjoyed_ the playful banter between us. Although I was quickly coming to terms with our inevitable attraction to one another, the sarcastic repartee was much easier to deal with, and provided a more comfortable outlet through which to express myself. And even if she'd never admit to it, I knew Rosalie's nature tended to circumvent direct confrontation regarding her perplexing emotions as well. Still, I resorted to trying out a different approach – maybe brute honesty was what she needed to hear.

"I don't want to play games with you, Rose. I meant it before when I said I'd be here for you."

As I expected, she faltered at my words, her eyes darting to the right, seeking out recluse. "I don't need you," she whispered, but there was no conviction in her words.

I leaned in, resting my forehead on hers. As I suspected, she didn't pull away.

"I'm here when you do."

Rosalie's mind was reeling, frantically trying to build a wall to keep me out, but it no longer mattered if she purposely pushed me out of her head – I had seen enough to know the truth. And now she just needed time to sort through all of it on her own.

Gently, I reached under her arms to lift her off of my lap. I had expected her to protest against my actions, but she was too absorbed in her own thoughts to fight back. As I rose to my feet, her gaze never faltered – she continued to stare off into the distance.

"I'll be at the house."

Without a second glance, I walked away, leaving her sitting in the soft grass.

* * *

"You seem to be in quite a happy mood."

Esme was across the room, hanging new curtains over the large, bay window. She had come downstairs to work upon hearing me take a seat in front of the piano.

I continued to play, the notes of the cheerful Mozart sonata ringing like chimes throughout the house. Eventually, I responded after considering how best to answer the question. Carlisle was upstairs, and no doubt listening for my response as well. "Yes, I suppose so."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her turn towards me, a huge smile on her face.

_Are things better between you and Rosalie?_

I frowned as my pinky finger slipped off the A-sharp, causing a dissonant note to sound. How should I answer her? For a split second, I suspected maliciousness in her silent question – _why not ask it out loud_? But after thinking it through, I realized she wasn't doing it consciously. Plus, her expression clearly indicated she was only curious, and hopeful that my emotions were, at least temporarily, appeased.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied my voice and spoke as honestly as I could without betraying Rosalie's wishes. "They're not worse."

Esme nodded, still smiling as she slowly turned away to resume her work.

_She's had a hard time these past few months._

"Yes, she has."

_Have you talked to her? _

"A little." Again, it was technically the truth – no sense giving Esme too much hope, which could cause the modest amount of progress we had made to go up in smoke.

I heard Esme delicately cross the living room, pausing behind me and resting a hand on my shoulder. "There can be peace and happiness between any two people, despite their differences, if they both agree to work at it."

_If she only knew, _I thought to myself. The olive branch had been extended – it was now up to Rosalie to accept it.

As I finished the sonata, I heard Carlisle descend the stairs. Esme left my side and joined him across the room, the two having one of their silent conversations as they gazed lovingly into one another's eyes. I made a pointed effort to stay out of their heads, affording them privacy that they never asked for, but categorically deserved. However, I could still sense absolute tranquility coming from both of them without me reading their thoughts. It swept over me in waves, furthering my resolve to help Rosalie through her internal struggles and find some absolution in this new life.

I rose from the piano bench and strolled to the bookshelf, selecting a Scarlatti anthology to play from. Just as I returned to my seat and chose a piece, I heard her call to me.

_Edward…_

Her voice was distant; she was still a few miles away, but presumably heading towards the house. Not wanting to distract Carlisle and Esme from their non-verbal exchange, I refrained from answering her, instead listening acutely for her approach.

But I heard no further thoughts – in fact, she blocked me from her mind as soon as I detected her footsteps in the nearby forest. Swallowing back a faint trickle of annoyance, I began to play, losing myself in the scales and runs of the sonata, though I was still scanning her mind repeatedly, waiting anxiously for the mental wall to crumble.

When she got within a half-mile of the house, Carlisle and Esme moved towards the front door. Their bodies were in perfect synch with each another – it was as if they were one being. Of course, their thoughts were in tandem as well.

_Rosalie is coming home!_

She approached steadily, neither concealing her arrival nor accentuating it. I continued to play as if her entrance was nothing extraordinary, thus allowing Carlisle and Esme to act as the welcoming committee. Rosalie would not appreciate my added attention, I was sure.

As Carlisle opened the front door to receive her, the wall around her thoughts suddenly came plummeting down.

_He can play the piano?_

I had completely forgotten that I had never performed in front of her – actually, anywhere within _earshot_ of her before now. I just assumed she knew the piano was mine. Apparently, she had no idea.

"Rosalie, you're home!" I could hear Esme throw her arms around Rosalie, embracing her warmly. Carlisle chucked at his wife's enthusiasm, but as soon as the two women released one another, he stepped forward to do the same. The thoughts of our parent-figures were overwhelming – the unadulterated joy coming from both of them was nearly tangible, and I half-expected Rosalie's mind to shift in that direction as the two of them steered her inside. But her thoughts were centered on only one thing. _Me._

_Why didn't you tell me you played?_

Very slowly, I shrugged in response. Frankly, I didn't see what the big deal was – lots of people were able to play the piano. Why was my talent so different?

Carlisle and Esme were chattering away, but all I could hear were Rosalie's thoughts as I neared the end of the piece.

_I remember that song – I played it years ago._

I nearly stumbled on the last few measures – _Rosalie played too?_

Finishing the piece, I pivoted on the bench, facing her with my jaw agape. "You used to play the piano?"

She took a step towards me, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure I still _can_."

I sat frozen in my seat as she approached, regarding her expression carefully.

_May I?_

Nodding, I stood up and stepped aside, motioning for her to take a seat in front of the keyboard. Behind her, Carlisle and Esme stood transfixed, watching our exchange in awe. They hadn't known of her talent either.

Rosalie gracefully lowered herself on the bench, adjusting it with ease. She thumbed through my anthology quickly, but closed it, not finding any piece to her liking. Her mind was still open and absolutely intriguing as she shuffled through hundreds of memories of piano recitals, practices, and holidays during which she had performed. The recollections flitted through her head like falling leaves from a tree; sporadically, and without any set chronological order. Finally, she settled upon one, and for a brief second I saw an intricate passage of notes stretching across an old piece of sheet music. But before I could read the name of the composer, the memory was gone, and Rosalie placed her hands upon the keys, preparing to begin.

I recognized the song immediately – it was an arrangement of _the Nutcracker Suite_ by Tchaikovsky. Rosalie performed _The Waltz of the Flowers_ animatedly, adjusting quickly to her newfound vampiric speed and strength as she played. The three of us stood absolutely still, watching in wonder as she increased the tempo and easily transitioned into _Trepak_.

In much too short a span of time, she finished, stilling her hands upon the keys and staring at them curiously. I was reminded of the first time I had played after being changed – the sensation of the ivory keys under my fingertips, and the exponentially greater detail of each note's timbre upon my enhanced ears that left me marveling at the sophisticated instrument. It had driven me to seek out every piece of music I could find, just to hear a fresh combination of chords and melodies coming from my fingers. I could see the same fascination growing in her mind as she regarded the Steinway with a sense of pride.

"That was amazing, Rosalie! To think, we now have _two_ virtuosos in the house!" Esme couldn't hide her enthusiasm.

Carlisle began to applaud, and very gradually, Rosalie stood from the bench and turned to face them.

"Thank you," she muttered sheepishly, looking up through her eyelashes and causing Esme to rush forward with her arms open.

I watched the three of them embrace again, until Rosalie finally stepped back. Very slowly she turned to face me, her expression still one of bashfulness and uncertainty.

But there was nothing shy in the thought she sent me. Avidity dripped from every word, and I felt a pool of venom form in my mouth.

_We need to talk._

* * *

_AN: I've noticed that there's some confusion about what's going on between Edward and Rosalie. I'd be more than happy to give some more insight into both of their thoughts and actions on the "Betrothed" discussion thread on Twilighted, because honestly, Edward isn't sharing __**everything**__ (he loves to edit!). You can find the link in my profile!_

_And reviews are always appreciated – thanks!_


	20. Magnetism

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: I want to give a big ole shout-out to the Portuguese fans out there – and a hearty thank you to Gabrielle Briant for taking the time to translate! This chapter is dedicated to all of those readers who just wish Edward would cave already. Finally, that time has come…_

* * *

_We need to talk._

I stared at her blankly, carefully keeping my expression composed, even though I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising, especially after the emotion behind her next thought hit me like an avalanche. Rosalie wasn't angry or melancholic. In a blink of an eye, she was instantly besotted - _with me. _And she was taking full advantage of my mind-reading talent to make that point perfectly clear.

_You never told me you could play. What else can you do?_

Memories were swirling within her mind like a caldron of fire; sporadic, split-second images of pianos lessons as a teenager. I saw another student sitting next to her on the piano bench – a boy that Rosalie apparently had had a crush on. I could nearly feel the magnetic pull he held for her, even second-hand as just an observer.

_I wonder what would happen if we played together… _

At first I thought she didn't mean for me to hear that last statement because the words were cut off mid-thought – or that maybe she was referring to _him_. But when I saw her eyes perceivably begin to darken, I realized she either had no control over herself, or she had purposely sent it my way. And she wasn't thinking entirely about just the piano…

_Watching you play was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen._

Again, a glimpse of the boy, and this time, of his appearance. He had copper-colored hair, and looked nothing at all like Royce. Despite the youthful smoothness of his face, he was quite handsome, and his piercing blue eyes conveyed a multitude of freshly-discovered emotion. Emotion for _her_. Who was he?

"How long have you played, dear?"

Swallowing thickly, I tried to focus on Esme's question and Rosalie's response, but I barely heard their words. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Rosalie's alluring face and the subsequent memories that kept flickering through her mind. I saw his name on a recital program at which they played a duet together. _Peter_. Then a vision of the two of them sitting side by side on a small stage. The corners of his mouth would turn up into the hint of a smile every time her arm brushed his, and I saw his eyes dart to meet hers as they finished the piece - innocent, yet purposeful at the same time. Something about his facial expressions seemed strangely familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then it finally hit me as I momentarily allowed myself into Esme's mind – Peter resembled _me_.

"Since I was seven or eight." She glanced over to Carlisle and Esme, easily fielding the question without outwardly displaying any hint of what she was truly thinking. My jaw twitched as I watched her carelessly toss her hair over one shoulder, a simple gesture that suddenly sent a shock of warmth through my bones.

_What other secrets are you hiding, Edward? _

It all made sense. Despite the fact that Royce had been her fiancé, he was clearly not her first love. And although I had yet to witness the memories of what became of Peter, it was quite obvious that the combination of my physical similarities coupled with my musical aptitude had triggered those unsullied and electrifying emotions she had felt for him.

Carlisle nodded and clasped his hands together. "You're quite accomplished." His eyes darted to me. "Edward's got some competition now."

_Do you want competition? No, you want something else._

"Honestly, I'm not that good - I've never had a chance to play the more sophisticated and lengthy pieces. But I'd like to learn them someday," Rosalie mused.

Esme couldn't curb her enthusiasm at the thought of me teaching her darling, new daughter how to perform lengthy concertos. "Oh, I'm sure Edward could teach you."

_You could teach me more than that, couldn't you?_

Her eyes glanced back at me, alight with an undeniable intensity. Rosalie's thoughts were focused entirely on one thing; her newborn, vampiric mind had fixated immediately upon me when I had inadvertently summoned those recent recollections of a happier time in her life. Though she had always harbored an unmistakable physical attraction for me, she had successfully hidden it, or at least suppressed it to a manageable state the past few months. But now, the floodgates of her covetousness were fully open, and she unleashed the absolute power of her desire onto me, all within the complete view of Carlisle and Esme. How she managed to hide it so well was utterly amazing; I was using every ounce of my strength to keep a straight face and not flee the room immediately. Yet the awkwardness of the situated dictated that I remain, lest we arouse suspicion, and that left me powerless to do anything but stand there.

Rosalie smiled brightly. "Oh, I'm sure he could." Her tone was innocently playful. However, her next thought were anything but.

_I see how you look at me. _

Blinking, I tried to clear my head and ignore her mental advances. But my body started to betray me as I noticed that the memories of Peter had faded away, and she was now entirely focused on _me_, and not him. _Wicked sybarite. _Venom was pooling in my mouth, and I felt my muscles tense involuntarily. I hoped my eyes didn't disclose my spontaneous, reciprocating behavior, but that thought quickly dissipated when I saw her jaw twitch as her gaze almost imperceptibly glanced from my lips back up to my eyes. No matter what I did, I couldn't hide my reactions. All I could do was hope that Carlisle and Esme didn't notice.

_And I saw how you looked at me when I sat down at the piano. _

"So Edward, what will you teach her first?" Carlisle's attention was fully back to me, and I desperately forced a smile onto my hardened face, prying my eyes off of her and focusing painfully on him instead.

"I don't know. I'll leave that up to Rosalie. With her apparent skill, there's not much I can really show her – she'll be able to learn most pieces on her own."

Out of the corner of my eye, I discerned a faint tremor course through her torso, despite the lack of double-entendres in my speech. How Esme and Carlisle weren't noticing our mutually scandalous behavior was absolutely unexplainable. Why would Rosalie chance such an exchange in plain sight, after she made it perfectly clear that she did not want them finding out about our relationship? As I struggled to make sense of that odd conundrum, she shot me another salacious thought.

_You like the fact that I know how to play. I can see it in your eyes._

"Well, regardless – what a wonderful surprise for us all. Don't you agree, Rosalie?" Carlisle's attention reverted back to her, and for a split-second, I didn't have three pairs of extremely observant eyes on me. I took advantage of the brief reprieve and exhaled deeply, but did so in a quiet manner, hoping to not draw more attention to myself. I was still trying to figure out why she was making such obvious passes at me. Sure, I understood the similarities between her memories and our discovery of one another's talents that evening, but was that all that was driving her actions? Was this some sort of game to her? Did something else spur her on that I wasn't aware of? And most importantly, why wasn't I getting angry? I struggled to label the hodgepodge of emotions flittering through my body, and after several reflective seconds, I was astounded when I arrived at the answer. A rebellious portion of myself was actually getting quite a thrill out of her behavior, much to my rational mind's dismay. _What was wrong with me?_

"Certainly." The excitement in her tone was palatable, and my gaze inadvertently drifted back to her bewitching eyes.

_I know you want me more than you'll ever admit._

I felt my knees weaken as her thought nearly bowled me over, because _she was absolutely right_. All of a sudden, the urge to flee was gone. Instead, I realized how badly I wanted to grab her by the wrist and pull her up against me, feeling the warmth of her perfect body against mine. What would Carlisle and Esme say? How would Rosalie react? Every passing second, the consequences seemed to dwindle in importance. _Should I? _

_I dare you to touch me right now._

My vision became clouded in a haze of concupiscent red. Our roles had reversed – I was convinced she could hear my every thought, my every impulsive emotion. It didn't matter that I didn't understand how – all I could focus on was her carnal gaze. She wanted me, and I couldn't resist. My foot started to rise, preparing to step forward.

"Well then, since we're all here together, I thought we could spend the evening together, all four of us? Maybe you two could perform a few pieces? Or perhaps we could try to play Bridge again?" Esme's voice resonated with hope, and although she regarded both of us, for some bizarre reason she saw none of the silent exchange taking place.

A smirk began to grow on Rosalie's flawless face. "I'm sorry, but I'd prefer some time to practice before playing for an audience, if you don't mind." Slowly, she turned away from me to face Esme.

_I want you, Edward._

"Not at all. Cards then?"

_I want you right now._

"Edward, would you like to try your luck at Bridge?" A blazing heat raced through my veins as Rosalie turned back to look at me curiously, her tone still mischievously even.

I stood absolutely frozen, trying to keep my jaw from gaping open. _How does she do that?_ I was no match for her – and there was no way I could sit across from her and hide the lasciviousness feelings coursing inside of me.

I needed to get out of the house.

_Right now._

Immediately.

_Now._

Her thoughts mirrored mine exactly.

"Thank you, but I'm going to step out to hunt. Maybe another time?" My voice sounded foreign – I didn't recognize the lie as it rolled off my tongue, but somehow it translated into a believable truth. At least to Carlisle and Esme.

_The cabin._

Carlisle smiled in understanding. "Of course. Perhaps tomorrow?"

_Too soon. Edward…more time._

I licked my lips to squelch the tremble threatening to overtake them before speaking. "Actually, I was planning on taking a bit of an extended hunting trip. Next week instead?"

_Meet me at the cabin._

"Sure, son. Why don't you take Rosalie hunting with you? I'm sure you two would like to discuss your musical similarities." Both Carlisle and Esme were beaming at me, obviously thrilled that we were more readily accepting suggestions of future get-togethers, and from the civility that they perceived to be developing between us.

_That was easy._

Unable to carry on the charade any longer, I nodded once, then turned and walked quickly towards the door, seeking out the closest exit.

_Edward…_

She called out to me one last time, and I unconsciously glanced over my shoulder. She was standing between Carlisle and Esme, the smirk still plastered on her chiseled face. "I'll catch up with you later."

Esme moved to rest a hand on Rosalie's shoulder, squeezing it lovingly. I turned back and strolled out into the waiting darkness, then sprinted into the forest.

Straight for the cabin.

* * *

Darkness had descended over the surrounding mountains by the time I reached the dilapidated building that Esme was in the process of restoring. I took a moment to collect myself and attempted to calm my frazzled nerves. Still reeling from the outlandish exchange at the house, I leaned against the outside wall, taking deep breaths of the humid, night air, hoping it'd clear my preoccupied mind.

I had no idea how far behind me she was. In fact, I had no idea why I was even here. I had sworn to myself that I would try and help her cope in this new life. Did that duty now include amative, physical relations to help ease her pain as well? Her motives had been clear – she didn't want to meet me to 'talk'. And my betrayer body was more than willing to accept that truth. But could my conscious?

Off in the distance, under the sound of a multitude of crickets and other woodland insects serenading potential mates, I heard her approach. Her mind was closed to me – or, it was completely blank. Odd, how she had seemed completely unwilling or unable to censor her thoughts and memories earlier at the house, yet now there was nothing to hear. _Could there be a reason for that?_

Before I had a chance to really think it through, she appeared from the trees, gracefully leaping across the clearing and landing on her toes a foot in front of me. At once, her ruby stare captivated my attention, the two of us standing perfectly still, gazing unabashedly at one another. I scanned her mind again, but still – nothing. Instead, she chose to speak.

"I meant it," she whispered, her sweet breath washing over my face and causing a dull, yet pleasant ache to develop in the pit of my stomach.

My hand twitched, wanting desperately to reach out and touch her, but I somehow managed to restrain myself. "What, exactly?"

She didn't answer, but continued to stare at me. It seemed like she was slowly moving closer, but I couldn't discern the actual movement – I was too engrossed watching the faint light from the stars above glint within her irises.

"Who was he?"

Rosalie's tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip in the most erotic of ways. A tremor rocked my body, causing me to nearly lose my balance.

"You remind me of him."

"Obviously. Peter, isn't it?"

She nodded once before taking a half step forward, closing the gap between us. "But you are more talented than he was." Gradually, she lifted one hand until it was an inch from my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her rotate her wrist until her palm was facing away. Then she brushed the backs of her fingers lightly across cheek, causing my eyes to momentarily roll back into my head.

I swallowed thickly, struggling to find my voice and the will to answer. "I can't replace those memories, Rose. I can't be Peter."

"I'm not asking you to."

My body was moving on its own accord in response to her languid touch. Unconsciously, my weight shifted forward to the balls of my feet until I felt my chest begin to rest against hers. Against my will, my hand rose and snaked around her trim waist, drawing her more fully to me. "Then why did you show me those memories?"

Rosalie responded to my actions at once, taking one final step forward until her lips were only an inch from mine. "I wanted you to see why I was remembering him."

I moved again, closer, until my nose was touching hers. Still, it wasn't close enough, yet as each part of our bodies connected, another flash of heat and exhilaration would flood my senses and make me dizzy with ecstasy.

"Because I looked like him."

Her hand that had been ghosting my cheek drifted backwards, and was slowly nesting itself in my hair. She took her free hand and captured mine, tracing lazy circles on my palm that felt entirely way too good at that particular moment. Rosalie had never touched me like this, and it was setting off feelings I had never experienced. Yet somehow, I was not afraid for once – instead, I was absolutely mesmerized by everything about her.

"No."

I moved another inch forward, my bottom lip barely grazing hers. "Then why?"

She took a deep breath, drinking in my scent. I watched in fascination as her eyes became hooded, and as the hand that had been caressing my palm slowly traced up my forearm, leaving a trail of burning fire in its wake, a faint shiver passed through her, causing her lips to briefly brush mine. Yet she did not kiss me.

"Because you make me feel like he did," she murmured so quietly that I almost didn't hear the words. As their meaning gradually sunk into my befuddled mind, Rosalie reopened her memories to me, reinforcing exactly what she meant. The sensation of those intoxicating sparks of attraction, felt for the first time, and so incredibly powerful that it made her physically weak to be near him. To be near _me_. That's what she was trying to convey. Sadly, I had no recollection of such an experience during my human years – whether from lack of memory, or, that simply no girl had captivated me to that degree, I was unsure at the moment. But it didn't matter – her memories were still clear enough to enable me to experience it nearly as robustly as she had. Suddenly, I had to taste her, to relieve some of the built-up passion that was threatening to overtake my body and render my actions uncontrollable.

I tilted my head slightly to the right, then extended my chin outward. Very gingerly, I ran my overheated lips from the corner of her mouth down to the edge of her jaw, tracing butterfly kisses back to her ear where I sucked in the lobe between my teeth, savoring that unique, honeysuckle flavor that was only Rosalie.

She gasped when I gently bit down, her grip on my arm and hair tightening painfully. For a split-second I thought I had hurt her, but as she rocked forward to press the full weight of her body against mine, driving both of us back against the wall of the cabin, I knew that quite the opposite was true.

Before I completely lost myself to her enticing touch, I remembered that she still hadn't answered my first question.

I released her earlobe and shifted my lips until they were resting against her ear. "Rose, what did you mean before when you said 'I meant it'?" Holding her tightly against me, I waited breathlessly for her response.

Very slowly, she turned her head towards mine, brushing her mouth along my cheek until our noses found one another again.

"I want you, Edward."

And as if the very ground beneath had fissured open, sending a wave of tectonic energy directly into each of us, our lips crashed together in a way I had never experienced before. Nothing on the planet could make me feel as she did with those four, simple words. I was now hers in any capacity she deemed fit.

* * *

_AN: Check out the "Betrothed" discussion thread on Twilighted, linked in my profile. It's been kind of lonely over there lately…_

_And reviews are ALWAYS appreciated – even the ones saying that Edward's an idiot. I feel that way sometimes too, though I cut him some slack because, after all, who could resist the most beautiful vampire in the world? _


	21. Desecration

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: I'm not going to write some long, drawn out note when most of you probably just want to hurry up and get to the next chapter. But for what it's worth, I am sincerely sorry for the extended wait time for this update. Please don't hate me!!!_

* * *

Under a mantle of millions of heavenly orbs, Rosalie had told me she wanted me. _Me._

As the realization slowly sunk into my inebriated head, I tried to separate the venereal desires of my body from those other, more complex emotions that I had yet to figure out. Something deep within was nagging me to not confuse one with the other, but when Rosalie's sensuous mouth had finally met mine, I was too distracted to continue down that perfidious path. Licentious thoughts were all that filled her mind, and they quickly infected mine as well.

Despite the fervor of her words, that initial kiss started off rather languidly for us; the heat from her touch practically scorching me to the point where we both pulled away. But just as soon as the electric current was broken, we were drawn together once more. I pushed forward off of the wall and recaptured her swollen lips with mine, this time lingering longer, relishing the blistering heat that consumed me at every point our flesh came into contact. Her hand that had been on my arm was now upon my shoulder and still moving, sliding leisurely along my collarbone to the base of my neck. A shiver coursed through me when she extended one finger and traced her fingernail around from the hollow of my throat to top of my spine. The gentle touch was strangely almost too much for me to handle - I had to fight back the growl that threatened to emit from my throat and the urge to roughly push her to the ground.

Breaking apart once more, she pulled away a little further this time, opening her heavy-lidded eyes and searching out mine. My labored breathing seemed embarrassingly loud and _human_ – but then I realized she was gulping in deep breaths of the sticky night air as well, even though we both did not need it. Was this bizarre, respiratory reaction tied directly to our former, mortal habits, or was it an indication of something more?

Before I could excogitate further, Rosalie opened her mind to me.

_I want you, Edward._

Nodding twice, I wrapped my free arm around her back and pulled her forward, kissing her again. "I know," I muttered against her sweet lips.

The vibration of my words seemed to set off a bout of tremors just under her skin; as they dissipated down through her body, she rocked forward, slamming both of us back into the outside wall. The force of our combined momentum was too much for the termite-infested wood – I felt it start to give as Rosalie pressed her hips into mine. I wanted to stifle the annoying voice of rationalism that tromped through my head, reminding me that we were leaving evidence behind of our romantic tryst, but it refused to be silenced. After all, it was Esme's cabin – what would she think if she saw massive holes in the walls, shaped ironically like a human form?

Reluctantly, I conceded to the more prudent line of thinking, but not completely. Fighting against her newborn strength and tightening my hold on her waist, I lifted her up off the ground and carried us a step away from the cabin. "Do you want to get caught?"

Rosalie arched her back, throwing her legs around my waist and nearly causing both of us to tumble to the ground.

_We'll tell her it was bears._

I snorted at her mischievous thought and buried my face into her silken tresses.

"Naughty girl."

She growled, then ran her tongue along my jaw, setting off a firestorm of avidity throughout my veins.

_I'll show you naughty._

Before I could react, she released her hold with her legs, stepping down and pushing me backwards against my will. I inwardly flinched, awaiting the sensation of the damaged wall, but it never came. My feet continued to awkwardly step backwards repeatedly, driven by Rosalie's momentum and commanding strength. Her mouth was still eagerly working against my skin, kissing me ardently as if we were standing still. And her hands had slid forward, each one capturing my arms and forcing my hold around her waist to relinquish as she shackled my wrists in her vise-like grip.

Eventually I came to realize that we were no longer outside - she had steered us backwards into the cabin, and through the pitch-black darkness I could vaguely make out the interior walls and recently repaired ceiling. I also detected the scent of fresh-cut pine, and glanced out of the corner of my eye to the left, seeking out the source. But just then, Rosalie halted our movements.

"What are you thinking?" she inquired, leaning back to fully appraise my expression. My eyes found hers immediately and focused on the long, sensuous lashes that framed them. _So beautiful. _

"Just admiring your loveliness," I whispered reverently.

"Liar." She pulled my wrists forward so that they rested between us. "You weren't looking at me a second ago. And you definitely weren't thinking of me."

I smirked unconsciously, amused at her apparent irritation with my wayward glances at things other than her. "Don't worry, Rose. You have my full attention now."

She sneered, her grip tightening to a painful state. "Prove it."

My body reacted instantly to her words as a shiver of exhilaration raced through me. But I fought to maintain my composure, because I instinctively knew it was better not to let her think she already had the upper hand.

"Then let go of my wrists."

Rosalie bit her bottom lip as she slowly unlocked her hold, a flicker of excitement haunting her effervescent eyes. Her mind was focused on only one thing – anticipation. A hundred scenarios flew through her head of what I could possibly do to her. Some of them were rather original and quite provocative, and for a split-second I actually considered following through on more than one. But she'd know that I had seen them in her mind, and there'd be little surprise. So instead, I let my instincts drive my actions.

I pivoted to the left and took a step forward, circling halfway around her. I could still read her mind, and she was confused by my movement, having expected me to embrace her in some way. But despite the urge to reach out and trace my hand along her shoulder, I refused to touch her, instead stopping directly behind her and standing perfectly still for a moment, inhaling her intoxicating scent.

Eventually I leaned in, mere inches from her ear. "You called me a liar before." As my breath washed over her skin, she shivered in anticipation. "You think that I'm immune to your charms and your appeal." Rosalie sucked in a sharp breath before starting to replace the wall to hide her thoughts.

I clucked my tongue. "Please don't. Besides, you've shown me enough of what you're really thinking. Why block me now?"

Rosalie swallowed thickly, then spoke. "Keep going."

Smirking, I leaned in a bit more, this time allowing one hand to ghost along the crown of her head. "For some reason I have yet to figure out, you doubt yourself, even though outwardly you're nothing but over confident, especially around me. Why is that?"

"Because I never know where I stand with you," she murmured bashfully. Within her mind, I could clearly see how difficult it was for her to admit such a thing. She was so accustomed to people tripping over themselves to please her, that she had absolutely no experience with aloofness or ambiguity. Though it bothered her not to have that normal feeling of security, it also excited and intrigued her.

It was only fair I return her forthrightness, so I spoke candidly. "Sometimes I don't know what to make of you either, Rose. Yet I keep finding myself unable to stay away." I stepped forward until my chest was resting against her back. She shivered again. "One minute everything seems perfectly clear with you…with us. Then the next, I'm completely baffled by your reactions and thoughts."

She nodded. "Yes, me too."

I turned my head until my lips were flush against her ear. "It's that constant state of unease that draws me to you like a moth to a light bulb. But what do I do about it?"

Rocking backwards against me, she sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. Am I supposed to feel such strong, conflicting emotions? Is that part of my…change?"

"Yes." My other hand inadvertently rose to capture her elbow, pulling her more tightly against me. "It'll get better after the first year."

"How can you be so sure?" she whispered quietly. Within her mind, I saw uncertainty and trepidation haunting every decision, emotion and experience since Carlisle had changed her. Her world had been entirely turned upside down, not only from the physical change, but to her since of self as well. Everything that defined Rosalie had been ripped out from underneath her, and despite the gift of supreme beauty, enhanced senses, and immortality, she continued to yearn for the one thing she couldn't get back – the sense of who she was in this new life.

Once again, I felt an overwhelming urge to protect and guide her, but the feel of her body pressed against mine made me also want to kiss her. The urges quickly became tangled, muddying my thought process as I leaned in further to inhale the sweet scent of her hair. "Because I just am."

She froze, then pulled away. "Have you…" Her words trailed off, but her mind finished the sentence, flashing image after image of me with other faceless women, some of them even vampires.

Chuckling at her overactive imagination, I reached down to spin her around until she faced me. Her dark, red eyes smoldered with conflicting emotion in the darkness, yet obviously not amused with my response. I reigned in my laughter and composed myself, staring intently into her eyes.

"Rose, I've never been with a woman."

Her mind went blank as my words sunk in, her gaze unwavering. She stood that way for several minutes, a marble goddess holding court in the dank cabin. Finally, I saw her throat twitch as she swallowed once, preparing to speak.

"I…" Once again, her thoughts took over as she struggled to control her emotions, her mouth closing, then opening again. "Edward, we…"

She never finished, nor did I see her next move planned out in her mind. In one quick, smooth move she threw her arms around my neck and pulled herself up until her lips met mine, painfully crushing them as she kissed me roughly. Startled, I reflexively moved my hands to grip her waist, preparing to push her back and away. But she anticipated my response as if she were reading my own thoughts. Just as my hands found her, she forced her weight forward, pushing me backwards at an alarming speed into the back wall of the cabin. The sound of disintegrating wood flooded the room along with fine particles of dust and organic material, and if it not for her eager mouth working feverishly against mine, I would have begun to worry once more about the damage we were inflicting. However, I was quickly distracted from that line of thought.

Rosalie pinned me to the buckled wall, one hand buried in my hair while the other slid down my chest, stopping at my ribcage. My head was swimming with her honeysuckle scent, and I pulled her more tightly against me.

How anything or anyone could be so intoxicating was beyond comprehension - I craved her more than knowledge, more than the soothing sounds of music that always seemed to conciliate me, more than _blood_. I was no longer in control of my actions; instead, I released the animal inside of me and let it act out at will.

A feral growl escaped my lips as her tongue forced its way through my overheated lips. I drank her in, drowning in the tantalizing feeling of vertigo that seemed to liquefy my bones and cause me to nearly crumble to the floor. Rosalie, again sensing what was happening to me, reached under my arm with the hand that had been on my chest and effortlessly pulled my sinking weight back up, holding me firmly in place as she continued to kiss me. When her hungry mouth finally moved to nip down my jawbone, I gasped for breath, my eyes rolling back into my head. Lost to the sensations of her tongue and teeth, I didn't feel her shift her weight until I heard the thundering crash behind me.

The crumbling wall gave way as we fell against it, oblivious to everything around us but each other. I thought I detected the almost inaudible creak of a roof beam, straining to stay upright as it lost support on one side. A cool brush of night air caressed my cheek, and it took me several seconds to realize there was now a gaping hole in the wall.

Without the leverage of the unsteady wall, Rosalie spun us around and pushed me to the debris-filled floor. I stumbled awkwardly as she fell atop me, never breaking her embrace from my cheek, and suddenly I was overwhelmed with a sense of surrealism. We lay tangled as one, covered in shards of wood, half in and half out of the broken cabin, the contrasting sights and sounds of the forest and man-made dwelling competing for my attention.

But it was Rosalie's actions that commanded it. As she began to passionately suck on my earlobe, I gradually became aware of the hand that had been resting first on my chest, then under my arm. It was moving again, this time down the side of my torso until it stopped at the waistband of my jeans. Her hot breath washed over my ear as she finally spoke.

"I want you, Edward."

She tugged at my shirt, freeing it and allowing her access to flit her palm across the bare skin of my stomach. My muscles twitched instinctively, the sensation of her skin against mine feeling utterly heavenly, yet causing a wave of foreign emotions to plague my body to the point of unexplained terror. All of a sudden, everything that seemed so natural and right felt increasingly _wrong_. What was she doing to me?

Her hand began to move from my stomach back down to my waistband, pushing effortlessly against the taunt material until her fingertips slipped beneath. I jerked up, releasing my hold on her waist and capturing her devious wrist in my grip, halting her movement.

"What are you doing?" I seethed, the fear palatable and uncontrollable in my tone. Shocked, Rosalie pushed away from me, her eyes glinting in the faint moonlight that spilled into the building through the hole in the wall.

"I told you. I _want_ you, Edward."

I scanned her mind, trying to decipher her words. But all I found was the same caldron of emotion, all intermingled to the point of ambiguity. I doubted she knew any better than I what she was really feeling at that moment.

We appraised one another for several seconds before I spoke. "Not like this."

She cocked her head to the side. "Like how?"

"You're not thinking clearly, Rose. We need to slow down."

"I don't think so."

Swallowing back the irritation that began to boil my blood, I fought to control my voice. "You're not thinking clearly," I repeated. "You're responding to your newborn urges, not acting as you would if you were…"

"Were what, Edward? Were human?"

Before I could respond, she slammed down the gate to her mind, preventing me from seeing the anger that I could clearly sense building inside of her. Her lip curled, a low snarl emitting from the back of her throat. "How dare you tell me what or how I should be thinking. What makes you an expert? A few more years under your belt as a blood-thirsty killer?" She paused, then leapt to her feet until she towered above me. "Because it certainly isn't from real experience!"

Fury erupted inside of me at the callousness of her snide remarks and I spoke again before thinking. "You never stop to _listen_ to what I'm really trying to tell you, Rose! You're over-reacting and taking my words out of context. Don't turn this into something more than it is."

"I take it back."

I rolled my eyes despite myself. "Take _what_ back?"

"Everything I said tonight. All of it. I changed my mind, Edward. I don't want you at all. Not even as a friend, or _brother_. And especially not as some…arranged lover or mate!"

In a blink she was gone, fleeing into the inky night and leaving me alone in the ruined cabin.

* * *

_AN: Again, I apologize for how long this has taken. I'm not going to sit here and feed you excuse after excuse (though I do have some very legit ones). I just want to say thank you to everyone who continues to read, and it's because of all of the reviews that I soldier on and eek out the time to keep going. Thanks everyone!_


	22. Contrition

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: Hi…yeah, it's been awhile. Like two months since the last update (hiding my head in shame). Things have sort of been crazy in my life. Been going through the big D, and I don't mean Dallas. I've been trying like crazy to find time to write, but it's been tough. So please accept my apology – this still isn't the end of the story – actually, far from it. With a little luck, the updates will start coming more regularly (and timely!) again. _

_I want to send some early happy birthday FF love to LuvtheCullenboys. Thanks for being my awesome penpal lately…you rock!_

_Okay, enough of that sad shit…let's get on with the story…_

* * *

Nothing was as it seemed in this pathetic, excuse for a life. We were merely toilsome puppets, playing a part that would never come to fruition. No matter how hard we tried to be human, the harsh reality was that we _weren't_, and never would be.

My self-loathing seemed to reach a new high as I replayed Rosalie's fiery exit repeatedly in my mind. Nothing I did was ever right with her, and I couldn't figure out how to get to a place where we both could be truly happy. There had been fleeting glimpses of what it _could_ be, but as soon as we reached that glorious pinnacle, something I did or said brought us crashing down faster than I could blink.

Reflecting on our inherent nature inevitably made me question what, if any, my relationship with Rosalie could possibly evolve into. The first possibility that crossed my mind was what I lived with, day in and day out. But were Carlisle and Esme an anomaly amongst our kind? Had I lost my potential and capability to love when I lost my humanity?

I stepped out of the cabin into the sticky darkness of the mountain air, straining to catch some sense of her; soft footsteps in the leaves or maybe a fleeting trace of her honeysuckle scent - but there was nothing. I wandered the surrounding forest in complete silence, asphyxiating in my own, despicable melancholy that seemed to propogate with every agonizing second that passed. As much as time should no longer have meaning to an immortal creature such as myself, I found it mocking me relentlessly; an unvarying reminder of everything I wasn't, and would never be.

I became so entrenched in my own internal musings that I barely noticed the break of dawn as the sun climbed to its zenith above, then back down again. Days passed, yet they seemed bizarrely like both ions and milliseconds in my sodden mind. The only relief was that there were no voices, human or vampire, to further hamper my mood. The world was absolutely silent around me from any form of meaningful life - it was both a blessing and a curse, for I had never felt so alone.

* * *

It was nearly two weeks before I found myself back within the vicinity of the house. Neither Carlisle nor Esme had sought me out during that time, which seemed somewhat odd until I surmised that Rosalie must have said something to them. I wondered briefly if she had relayed everything that had happened between us – the indescribable physical attraction, as well as the shared misery of our existence. _Did it even matter anymore? _No, I decided rather quickly, but the decision felt hollow and flimsy.

Upon nearing our home, I suddenly realized how much I had missed my parents. They were all I had in this bane existence, and I couldn't leave them permanently no matter how distraught I felt. As I slowly approached, I listened carefully for both their voices and thoughts. Although I needed contact with Carlisle and Esme, I couldn't stand to be near _her _after what had occurred. But a minute, traitorous part of me still secretly hoped she was inside as I crept forward through the hazy morning dew. _What was wrong with me?_

From the sound of their tale-tell movements inside, I could tell my family had heard me approach, yet no one exited the house to anxiously welcome me home – instead, their minds went blank as I crossed the front lawn. Guilt washed over me at their reaction and I instantly assumed the worst. How many times would I continue to make them suffer with my erratic and self-serving absences?

Hanging my head shamefully, I shuffled up the front steps and onto the porch, noticing for the first time in the reflection of one of the windows just how disheveled I looked. My hair was matted with grime and bits of debris; my clothing soiled from the handful of kills I had made out of necessity. I resembled one of the nomadic vampires that had crossed our paths before our move to Tennessee, and for just a fleeting second I felt infinitesimally worse, but then, better. No matter how bad things were, I couldn't imagine a life such as that for myself. Nothing could make me permanently leave my family – even _her_.

Out of habit, my right hand reached for the doorknob, yet I paused. Under the circumstances, I felt it was only fair I knock out of respect; especially since I seemed to continually disrespect those I loved the most.

I knocked hesitantly. Within a split second, Esme threw open the door and embraced me, completely oblivious to the layer of filth that covered my entire body.

"Thank heavens you're back. I've _missed_ you." _We both have so much…_

I held her tightly and marveled again at the unconditional love that poured out of her. No matter how many times I hurt them, they always took me back.

Carlisle waited across the room patiently, but sent me one lone thought as Esme continued to rock me back and forth.

_How was hunting, son? Catch anything noteworthy?_

My jaw gaped upon hearing his question in my head. _Hunting?_ Then it hit me – the hap-hazard excuse I had given about taking an extended hunting trip just a couple of weeks ago. _A couple of weeks ago? _It had felt like a decade or more since I had last been in house, sitting in front of my beloved piano, and then watching in utter surprise when Rosalie had played for us. How had I forgotten about that so easily? And hadn't I told them I'd only be gone a week? Suddenly, their guarded yet jubilant moods made perfect sense. Though I was still unable to focus my mind on anything other than the insurmountable guilt that washed over me, I dismissed it for the time being, deciding instead to play along.

I glanced over Esme's shoulder to him and shook my head. The lies were mounting at such an alarming rate that I was no longer able to keep them all straight. There was no way I was going to add to my own confusion by making up some tale of a great hunt with some unfortunate carnivore. Besides, my heart wasn't up for feigning abundant joy at that moment.

Once I was able to refocus, I abruptly noticed that I had been correct in assuming Rosalie had been here – I could clearly smell her on Esme's clothes. In fact, she had just recently left. A sharp pang pierced my gut at that realization – did she leave because of me?

After several minutes, Esme finally released me, and stepped back to take in my appearance.

_Oh Edward. Would you like to clean up right away?_

I grimaced, and lowered my eyes in shame. "Yes, please."

Carlisle remained across the room, allowing me to accept Esme's kind offer. I quickly moved into my bedroom, grabbing a fresh set of clothes before heading to the bathroom. I did not allow myself the indulgence of time while attending to my slovenly appearance; instead I bathed and changed as fast as possible so I could return to my altruistic, overly kind family.

When I reappeared, Carlisle and Esme were seated in the living room, waiting patiently as usual. I took a seat across from them, my face blank despite the fact that my mind continuing to race. I heard Esme's thoughts shift at once from questions about my time hunting to the one thing I feared the most – what was wrong. Part of me cursed her perceptiveness, simultaneously wishing I wasn't so easy to read, especially at times like these. But it was pointless to ignore the churning caldron of emotions flooding my body, especially when sitting across from the two people who knew me better than anyone else on the planet. _Well, except for maybe Rosalie…_

_Please tell us what's wrong._

Although it was Esme's words, the same sentiment came from Carlisle as well. Unconsciously, I buried my face in my hands as the guilt and self-loathing suddenly became too much for me to bear. There was no possible way I could stand to look either one of them in the eye.

Clearing his throat, Carlisle spoke first. "Edward, we are both very glad to have you back. Thought gauging from your present mood, I'm guessing your absence wasn't used just to hunt outside our normal range."

"We were worried about you. I guess I thought you'd stop in briefly to say goodbye before leaving again…" Esme trailed off, glancing sideways at her husband as he continued her sentiment seamlessly.

"…honestly son, we always worry when you're gone with no means of contact. It never sits well with us to have you or Rosalie absent for any extended amount of time."

"I apologize, Carlisle. I'm very sorry for hurting you again…"

Esme let out a nearly inaudible whimper, and I could sense her wanting to move towards me. But she refrained, letting Carlisle continue instead.

"When we didn't see you after a full day, Rosalie informed us that you were safe when she returned to the house. Or at least, she said you were fine when she last saw you." He paused, causing me to glance up through my fingers. "She also said that you may not return right away. Though she didn't specify that you were off 'hunting', as you had indicated earlier."

My brow creased from the tension that both plagued my body and suddenly saturated the room. What else had she told them? Despite my earlier decision that nothing she said mattered, I once again found myself inexplicably wanting to keep our secret from them.

I swallowed thickly before speaking, and slowly lifted my face from my hands. "Again, my deepest and most heartfelt apologies to the both of you. It was inconsiderate and inexcusable to be gone so long without saying a proper goodbye."

"Is everything okay?" Esme's voice cracked with emotion.

Slowly, I nodded. "Yes."

I knew I should say more; do more. But I also didn't want to reveal too much. Scanning their minds, I sought out any information that would indicate what, if anything, Rosalie had shared with them, but there was absolutely no hint of what she had disclosed.

Finally, Carlisle gave me the tidbit I needed, though I sensed he was holding something back.

"Obviously, Rosalie is not here. She left to hunt a few hours ago. Strange, how good you two are at avoiding one another. Yet I'm curious as to why you're back to avoiding each other, since the last time we saw you together it appeared you were getting along quite nicely. Or, at the very least, being civil to one another." Although he didn't come out and ask me, I heard the question in his tone. _What's going on? _

I tried as hard as I could to get more information out of Carlisle's head, but it remained blank. Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced over to Esme, but she was too quick – walling off her thoughts as soon as she saw me move. Had Rosalie indicated upon her return from the cabin that things were…_bad_…between us once again? Or worse, had she told them any explicit details of what had transpired? Or the countless times before when we had secretly met, either upon our rock or elsewhere?

Running various responses and their predicted outcomes through my head at breakneck speed, I finally decided on a more conservative answer to Carlisle's silence question. "At this moment in time, no, we do not care to be in one another's presence." It was technically the truth, but I wasn't sure if they'd buy it or not.

Carlisle raised his eyebrows. "What changed since last week between the two of you?"

"I'm sure Rosalie explained why."

"No, actually, she did not. She simply said you had parted ways in a less than placid state. When you did not return to the house after that first day, she elusively stated that you would return when you were ready, and to not seek you out. She also said it was best to wait for you to explain what occurred between the two of you."

My jaw twitched uncontrollably. Once again, Rosalie completely surprised me with her unpredictable behavior. Though I was thankful she had encouraged them not to come after me, I was also inexplicably annoyed that she had left me the responsibility of explaining what had happened, even if she was handing over full-control of the situation.

I sighed loudly and rolled my eyes to the ceiling. Torn between divulging the whole truth and protecting our secret, I didn't know what to say. Finally, I decided to stick to the original plan and keep as much to ourselves as possible – after all, I could always disclose more information at a later date if necessary. But once Carlisle and Esme knew what was really going on, there was no turning back.

"We were…trying to get along," I began quietly, still staring at the ceiling. I knew there was no way I could look either of them in the eye at that moment. "I thought we were making progress, but I assumed too much."

Esme spoke up after a few seconds of silence. "You don't need to be embarrassed, Edward. We understand more than you think."

I nodded slightly, letting my gaze drift down to the floorboards. "I know that, Esme. I wasn't embarrassed. I just…needed time to think through some things. Honestly, I did not realize how long I was gone." I glanced up at her mournfully.

"Of course. You're forgiven," she whispered, smiling at me warmly.

"I know this is difficult for you to discuss Edward, but really, if we're going to co-exist as one family, we cannot have secrets between the four of us." Carlisle's tone implied nothing but compassionate authority. Even though I surmised the true question hidden within, he sent it to me telepathically anyway. _What _really_ happened?_

It felt like the room started to close in on me. Carlisle's piercing stare, Esme's unconditional acceptance – how could I continue to lie to them? Would it be so wrong to tell them what was going on? Maybe then I'd get some of the weight taken off my shoulders, and I could return to the monotony and static routine I had come to count on in my cursed existence.

I hunched over in defeat as all of the air in my lungs rushed out in a massive sigh. _Here goes nothing, _I thought painfully.

"Carlisle, Esme…" I began, then paused. I detected the slightest sound off in the distance – almost like someone, or something, tip-toeing through the underbrush. Then suddenly, it was gone. I pushed the curiosity out of my mind and continued. "Things between Rosalie and I are…not what they appear."

Both sat perfectly still and waited for me to continue, their faces blank and not one thought in their heads.

"Despite my natural distain for Rose…_Rosalie…_at first, I have tried to remain open-minded and sympathetic to her needs in this new life." Inwardly, I flogged myself repeatedly for slipping up and calling her Rose. The personal moniker was sacred – something special between _us_, and one of the few details I never planned to disclose. Yet it was suddenly out in the open, like everything else would soon be if I turned off my internal filter and let the chips fall where they may. Though secretly I hoped they didn't catch the slip-up. The never-ending blows to my pride were making it increasingly difficult to continue on.

I heard the noise again, only it was closer this time. Definitely not the typical sound of some forest creature. It was much too deliberately _quiet_. Almost like whoever was making it didn't want me to hear them. Carlisle and Esme gave no indication that they had heard it – obviously, they were too focused on my explanation.

"We have…tried to find common ground," I continued, choosing my words carefully. Both nodded in encouragement. "At times I feel that we start to make progress, but then…"

All at once, the sound disappeared, but a new one appeared. In my head.

_Edward, don't you_ dare.

I blinked furiously and my jaw unconsciously went slack. What was Rosalie _doing_? I listened closely but could not hear her approaching, yet she was obviously near enough for me to hear her thoughts, and consequently for her to hear our conversation. Once again, I wondered if she didn't have some secret talent that she masterfully hid from the rest of us.

With no way to communicate back to her without alerting Carlisle and Esme to her nearby presence, I ignored her telepathic plea. After all, she had left _me_ at the cabin. Let her step forward if she wanted to be heard.

"…we seem to hit one hurdle after another. I'm not sure if we can ever get past them."

Carlisle looked at me questioningly. "What sort of hurdles?"

I fought to keep the waver out of my voice. "We do not see things eye to eye."

"Very few of us rarely do, Edward. Is there more to it than that?" Esme's tone and thoughts, running in tandem, were encouraging me to disclose everything. Our behavior around one another had evidently aroused suspicion – Esme's intuition told her there was more going on than just verbal arguments between us, and it was quite possible that Rosalie had tipped her off as well. Either way, I had two, very simple choices. Give them the full truth, or continue to dance around the real issue at hand and fabricate more lies. The pressure was nearly tearing me in two, but before I could respond, she continued.

"Because I got the sense that there was something else between the two of you the last time we were all together." Esme studied me carefully, tilting her heart-shaped face to the left.

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, Rosalie hit me with another blunt thought.

_Do NOT tell them._

And then I heard the door open behind me.

She had arrived.

* * *

_I wanted to thank everyone for voting "Music Lessons" as the 'Best use of Music as Inspiration' in the Twilight Indie Awards. That totally made my summer! I am still working on the out-take that will go along with that story. It's gotten a little out of control length-wise, so it might be a wee bit longer than a one-shot, but I'm pretty sure I won't get any complaints about that…_

_Stay tuned – I'll post it as soon as it's finished! And as always, thanks for all of your reviews and PMs…_


	23. Mendacity

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: Um…yeah. Sorry for the terribly long update. Forgive me?_

* * *

"Why Rosalie…what a lovely surprise!" I stared blankly at Esme, trying to discern how she could convey such a jovial tone. The stress from the recent conversation had left me completely unable to sympathize with any emotions that varied from mine own. Plus, she had just left a few hours ago – why were they acting like they hadn't seen her in a week? Annoyance permeated every cell in my body, causing me to involuntarily clench my fists at my sides. If I were still human, my palms would be bleeding from the pressure of my nails piercing the tender flesh.

Slowly, I pivoted to my left while still seated in the chair, reluctantly taking in the sight of my nemesis entering the house from behind me. Once again, I was astonished to find myself actually startled by her flawless exterior – perfectly styled hair, crisp skirt and blouse, graceful posture that boasted of her femininity and refinement. _Well bred, _I thought contemptibly. But in her eyes I saw the fire and brimstone of Hades flicker vibrantly when she cast her gaze down upon me. She may fool the rest of our family with her wiles and charms, but I saw right through the act. As if to solidify my observation, she fired a scathing thought directly at me.

_Glad I caught you before you really stuck your foot in your mouth._

I answered her with a silent, withering stare, but she refused to back down.

_You will _not _disgrace me, Edward Cullen._

"Esme, Carlisle." Rosalie tipped her head in courteous acknowledgement to each of them, a deceivingly warm smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Carlisle clasped his hands together somewhat awkwardly before speaking. "Well, we are, of course, always happy to have you join us. Though honestly, we were right in the middle of a rather…candid conversation."

I flinched at his choice of words. _He was going to put _her_ on the spot as well? _For a split second, my earlier resolve swayed like the shallow-rooted cottonwood trees that dotted the landscape. What if I threw the reins in her hands; let her speak for both of us and choose, at will, what to divulge, and what to keep secret? Would that _really_ be such a terrible thing?

I'll _take care of this._

As if reading my very thoughts, Rosalie's perfect lashes flitted around her scarlet eyes, taunting me further.

Suddenly, I felt my back go rigid as my pride roared to life. Echoes of belligerent testosterone that once ruled my body burst forward and immediately squelched any thoughts of submission. Why did I continually allow her to walk all over me? I was through letting Rosalie's pertinacious manner get the best of me – she would _not _commandeer this conversation, if Carlisle remained hell-bent on having it.

"Yes, we _were_ having an interesting conversation. One I would imagine you'd like to be part of, Rosalie." My voice dripped with acid as I facetiously motioned to a plush chair on my right. "Care to have a seat?"

A nearly inaudible hiss seeped from her slightly parted lips. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Esme's jaw drop at Rosalie's reaction and gelid response. "No, I'll stand. Thank you."

_Don't you dare…_

Carlisle rapidly glanced back and forth between the two of us, his eyes unsure of whom to settle on.

I settled my gaze upon Esme, silently begging her to ask me the question again. _I got the sense that there was something else between the two of you the last time we were all together…_

But she was too stunned by our behavior to speak. Her mind had gone completely blank with shock as she mimicked Carlisle's inability to choose which of us to focus on.

_I'd have to reinitiate the conversation myself_, I decided quickly. Rosalie's appearance, followed by her attempt to mentally gag me had left me in a mood I seldom experienced since my newborn years. I was teetering on the edge, barely able to control my anger as I let the words slip rancorously from my lips.

"To answer your earlier question, Esme, yes, there is something else between us."

_Bastard!_

Her anger resonated within my head like a ricocheting bullet discharged into an empty barrel; yet oddly, it also resembled stony nails screeching across a chalkboard, or at least, reminded me of such. The force of her thought made me grit my teeth in aggravation, and had the opposite effect she was hoping for - _I will not back down._

Esme blinked once upon hearing my words, the spell of Rosalie's wrath finally broken. "Please…speak freely, Edward." Despite the tension in the air, curiosity had gotten the best of Esme, and I could minutely detect Carlisle leaning forward ever so slightly in his seat, anticipating my next words almost as eagerly as Esme. Once again, their thoughts ran in tandem, though this time the mystery behind their synchronicity was more than obvious. They had been gunning for Rosalie and myself to become more than…_siblings…_since day one. I had heard first-hand their individual disappointment over the course of the past few months each time they witnessed us at odds with one another. Now, at long last, their hopes and dreams seemed to gel before their eyes, or so they thought. Let them finally see the truth of _us_.

"We have been –"my voice faltered amidst my perceived bravado. Yet I forged ahead, determined to get the unbearable weight of our secret off my chest once and for all.

Carlisle, sensing my hesitation, spoke up. "Is it safe to presume the two of you have been…_socializing_…outside of our household?

_Socializing. _Great choice of words.

I nodded in agreement, not trusting myself to speak. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie simultaneously shake her head.

"Rosalie, you disagree?"

She sniffed once. "Yes, I do. I would not categorize our time spent together as 'socializing'. Not in the sense that you mean, at least."

My jaw twitched involuntarily at her brazen lie. _How could she?_ I could barely control the hostility in my voice.

"Then what do you call all of those times we spent together upon our rock?"

The room became eerily still. The proverbial 'you could hear a pin drop' had nothing on this situation - I swore I could hear the atoms that made up every substance in the universe humming throughout the room. For several seconds, not one of us moved a muscle.

Rosalie's chin rose in defiance as the lie spilled from her lips. "I don't know what you're referring to, Edward."

"Let me refresh your memory, _Rose. _I'm referring to that large, igneous outcropping left after the last ice age that conveniently sits atop a nearby ridge."

"Of course, Edward. I know what a rock is."

I rolled my eyes despite myself. "Then let me clarify what took place on said rock."

_I wouldn't if I were you!_

"Please, there's no need to raise your voice, Edward." Esme gave me a stern look. _But it wasn't me…it was _her_! _Much slower than I'd ever admit to, I remembered they were impervious to Rosalie's mental assault. My head still rang with her last outburst as she quietly voiced her next thought.

"Carlisle, Esme; I appreciate your curiosity and completely understand your concern. However, let me assure you that Edward and I are nothing more than…"

Fury erupted out of me before I could rein it in. "Quit lying, Rose!"

She whipped around to face me. "_Lying_? You're accusing me of lying? You have no concept of the term! You can hear each of our thoughts as if they were your own, yet you never fully disclose yours to the rest of us! How can I possibly lie with you in the room? Why would I even try to?"

"Because you don't want anyone knowing what's been going on!"

Snarls tainted both of our expressions as we faced off, ready to tear at one another's throat if another word was uttered. Carlisle benevolently jumped between us, a hand upon each of our chests. "Stop this at once." He did not raise his voice; he didn't need to. The look in his eye sent the message loud and clear; if we did not squelch our anger at once, he'd take physical measures to stop us.

_I _hate _you._

A dry chuckle escaped my lips as Rosalie hammered me with the same thought over and over again. "Same here."

_I bet you're terrified to interact with strangers, vampire or human, without Mommy or Daddy there to hold your pathetic hand and guide the conversation…_

She took a step backwards, out of Carlisle's reach, but continued to stare me down, silently firing one insult after another into my head.

_Social outcast…you'd never last in today's world if you were still human…_

_How does it feel to be so emotionally stunted…a perpetual child? Despite your egotistical nature, that's all you are and ever will be…_

Unconsciously, I rolled my eyes in disgust.

_No wonder you've never been with a woman – who could stand such a hideous, know-it-all creature such as yourself?_

"Why don't you speak those out loud…let Carlisle and Esme enjoy your colorful tongue?" I taunted.

Rosalie huffed once, the fire still clearly visible in her eyes. "I'd rather hear your retorts, dear _brother."_

"I'm sure they'd pale in comparison to yours, _sister. _Please, enlighten our parental figures to the diatribe you continually assault me with at your leisure." On some level deep within my conscious, I was fully aware of our immature behavior growing exponentially, but I no longer cared about any consequence cast down by Carlisle or Esme. Rosalie had pushed me over the edge and I refused to back down.

"Arrogant bastard," she growled.

"Touché, you superficial, vain, facade of a woman."

"Enough!" Esme roared from across the room. I froze in place, my jaw still open from the remaining insults I hadn't been quick enough to spew forth. For a split second, I considered letting them out, but Esme sensed my plan and stopped me dead in my tracks.

_Don't you dare speak another word, Edward._

I had never seen Esme so angry before – and I instantly thought twice about testing her limits.

"If you two insist on acting like children, then you will be treated as such," she said in a more quiet tone, but with just as much force and superiority. "You will _only _speak when I address you with a question. I want no further discussion, commentary, or insults from either one of you. Do you understand?"

Neither Rosalie nor I moved a muscle. Our prideful silence was answer enough.

Esme cleared her throat as she might once have done as a mortal, clearly establishing her dominance. "Rosalie, you deny any relationship other than a strictly platonic one with Edward?"

"Yes."

My mouth opened on its own, ready to argue, but I was silenced immediately.

"Edward, you are not to speak until spoken to!"

I pursed my lips together, fighting with all of my strength to hold the anger inside, but my self control fissured when I saw Rosalie smirking from the corner of my eye. All prior thoughts of behaving dissipated faster than the morning fog in the valleys below us on a scorching summer day. In a split second I was flying across the space between us, my hands moving to shackle her wrists to her side, my face nearly touching hers.

The words tumbled out of me in a charged hiss. "You _vile_ prevaricator…you think you can fool them? Think their sympathy for your pitiful _human_ death will make them choose you over me? Take sides?"

Her newborn muscles tensed, and I knew it was a matter of seconds before she retaliated and flung me across the room, but I didn't care anymore – let Esme and Carlisle see the _true_ Rosalie, once and for all.

"Tell me, Edward – how does it feel to be a piteous child, trapped within a man's body?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same question, since you have much more recollection of your _human_ frailties than I."

I knew even before I finished the statement that I had hit a nerve deep within Rosalie. The repeated mockery of the death of her humanity in this new life was her Achilles heel. With a resounding scream of fury, she rushed forward, slamming into me with her unstoppable momentum and driving us both across the room and into Carlisle's bookshelf. Medical texts, intermixed with fragile copies of centuries-old works, took flight upon impact and scattered across the floor in an array of destruction as shards of wood bounced off the beadboard that lined the walls.

"You don't know _me_, no matter how many times you listen into my thoughts!" she screamed, raising her right hand to slap me, but I was too fast. I ducked as her palm swung around, and pivoted on my heel as the momentum of her punch pulled her forward in a wide arc, causing her outstretched hand to instead smack a delicate light fixture. The bulb shattered into a thousand pieces, and through the eerie, musical symphonic noise of the glass raining down on the floor, I detected Esme's nearly inaudible gasp of shock. Her response set up some primordial response in me that overtook every last sense of self-control I still had – the scene morphed into a very simplistic state, and before I could stop myself, I spat out a retort.

"You do NOT know _my_ family!"

My vampiric instincts easily overrode the deeply ingrained, gentlemanly rules of society cast upon me in another life. Carlisle and Esme were my _kin_. My coven. I would do anything to protect them – especially Esme, my gentle-natured mother. And at that moment, Rosalie was the enemy. A very powerful, _newborn_ enemy.

I snarled and bared my teeth as I lunged at her neck, fully prepared to tear her throat open. It no longer mattered why she was made – I couldn't stand her, and her insolence threatened our way of life as well as my personal sanity. The vile creature needed to be _destroyed_.

Rosalie shrieked as I attacked, surprised by my change of motive as I moved in for the kill. However, her reflexes still served her well. She twisted beneath my iron grasp and lithely slid from beneath me, racing across the room and taking refuge behind my beloved piano. _Wickedly smart little vixen, _I thought irately. I was reminded repeatedly that Rosalie was significantly smarter than she led us all to believe. Her academic intellect was impressive, but her ability to think on her feet was extraordinary. Who could have guessed that such a magnificent body held a mind equally as remarkable?

For a split-second I considered my Steinway – my precious baby. But my vengeance won out. The piano could be repaired; replaced if necessary. Without hesitation, I raced across the room toward Rosalie; fully bent on destroying her once and for all, and no one would stop me from putting an end to my arch-nemesis of late. I reached my arms upward and Rosalie reacted accordingly, crouching downward in anticipation of my leap over the piano. I could see her instinctual reactions playing out a nanosecond before she moved within her mind, but even without my ability to see into her thoughts, I had the upper hand. She may be technically stronger, but I was faster.

As she braced for my impact from above, I quickly lowered my arms and ducked my head, sliding under the piano and smashing into her legs. Rosalie attempted to dig her fingertips into the instrument above us, but it was too late. The momentum of my weight was too much for her to counteract, even with her vise-like grip. I heard the wooden side of the piano give way as I slammed her into the far wall, shaking the entire house.

Momentarily pinning her, I acted on my element of surprise and sprung to my feet in a crouch, teeth bared. I considered disemboweling her, but the idea seemed too barbaric. _No_, I thought to myself,_ better to just behead her as quickly as possible and be done with the miserable wench._

As I lunged upward towards her neck, I felt venom flood my mouth. Even if Rosalie was a despicable vampire, the instinctual anticipation of sinking my teeth into her supple skin made me quiver in anticipation. It felt so wrong…yet so right, all at once. But I didn't stop to rationalize my conflicting emotions regarding what I was about to do. _Don't think – kill her now._

Just as my mouth grazed the delicate arch of her tense neck, I suddenly found myself flying through the air. Landing with a ear-splitting crash across the room and atop one of Esme's prized, antique chaises, I blinked out of habit, desperately attempting to get my bearings and process what had just happened. Had Rosalie, with her newborn strength, been successful in deflecting my attack? Although possible, it was highly unlikely with the speed in which I had moved. I should have, at the very least, succeeded in wounding her in some way. But when my eyes fell upon her disheveled form behind the Steinway, I noted immediately that she remained frozen in the same, defensive position as when I had slammed her into the wall. There was no way she could have thrown me so effortlessly from such a position.

Before I could lift a finger, a resounding threat boomed in my head.

_Don't you _dare_ move. _

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carlisle snarling at me, his expression that of a cold-blooded killer, barely held in check by Esme.

* * *

_Story isn't done yet, folks..._

_And although the purpose of writing this is, and was, to amuse myself and my twisted mind, reviews/comments/questions are always appreciated and answered! What can I say, I like attention.. :)_


	24. Desolation

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, just get a kick out of writing about it. Thanks Stephenie! _

_AN: Longer chapter for a long wait. Thanks everyone for sticking with me…I really appreciate it!_

* * *

_You will _not_ kill her!_

Carlisle's upper lip curled and twitched uncontrollably as his amber eyes bore through my skull.

_She is as much a part of this family as you, and you will learn to respect her as you respect us. I expect nothing less._

Instinctively I bristled, Carlisle's order flaming the inferno that raged within my veins. My eyes darted back to Rosalie's form behind the piano as I considered my options for racing across the room and finishing her off once and for all.

"Don't you dare, Edward." Esme's calm tone belied her resolve.

_Don't make us choose. You know we will act as one._

_As one. _The two words echoed within me, awakening what little rationality remained. _You can't fight them both off without killing them too…_

They wouldn't let me destroy her – I could feel the absoluteness of that decision radiating from them, even without hearing their thoughts. I was stuck with the miserable beast, whether I wanted to be or not, unless _I _chose to leave.

Feeling very much like I had just a few months before, I realized I was no longer in control of my environment. I was not my own master – _Carlisle_ was, as long as I resided under his roof. My choices, as they pertained to Rosalie, were extremely limited. The easy choice was to ignore her completely, and go on with my bane existence as I had before she disrupted our meaningless lives. But things had changed – I knew I was powerless to ignore her. Or, more accurately, we were both incapable to ignore one another as we'd proven time and time again since moving to this dismal, backwoods country. Another decision made because of _her. _

I reached up, running my fingers through my hair repeatedly, trying to calm myself down and halt the growing anxiety that plagued me. _There was no way out – this is your life. _Gritting my teeth in frustration, I gripped my hair harder, nearly pulling handfuls of it from my scalp.

_Edward?_

Esme's concern was impossible to ignore. I sheepishly glanced upward through my lashes at her and instantly regretted it. She looked so beleaguered; so _torn_. Her loyalty to Carlisle would always trump any feelings she had for me or Rosalie, but at that particular moment, her motherly nature had nearly overpowered the mystical connection she shared with Carlisle. I saw my despicable form reflected in her amber eyes as well as in her mind. To her, I was a broken shell of a man – one whose personal anguish she couldn't help but take upon herself and attempt to reconcile. As noble and altruistic as that was, it only made me feel worse as a sad reality sunk deep into my bones. _Rosalie won't be the force that destroys our family – it'll be me._

The unstoppable fury that commandeered my spirit dissipated with every tick of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. With its exit, I felt my muscles grow weaker, until I realized I had sunk to the floor, my knees bent in front of me, my hands still uselessly kneading my hair.

I continued to withdraw into myself, becoming less and less aware of my surroundings. Carlisle called out quietly.

"It's over, Rosalie."

I ignored the sounds of her lithe body rising to its full stance as she stepped around my decimated piano, and focused intently on _not_ listening to her thoughts. I couldn't bear to hear what she could possibly be thinking, especially about me. As if the floor had opened up and swallowed me, I slipped further and further into the darkness of my tainted soul, tuning out everything else in the world.

* * *

The sweltering humidity of the Tennessee summer was unbearable, even to immortals. Or at least, it was to me. I was lost within myself, spending the horrendously tepid and endless days trying to ignore the oppressive heat that drove our prey into hiding and sucked the very life out of everything that crossed my path.

I didn't remember exiting the house after nearly killing Rosalie. Nor did I recollect any of Carlisle and Esme's predictable consoling, or Rosalie's probable taunting. I existed only in an opaque fog; one so impenetrable and suffocating that nothing could resurrect me from its clenches.

Thinking became unbearable. I did anything possible to distract myself and exist on a purely primordial level. Occasionally, I was able to lose myself so thoroughly that I forgot to hunt for days at a time – though the aid of the scorching weather made it rather easy to not happen upon anything remotely within my normal diet. I moved in a large, circular pattern around our homestead, arcing outward upon each revolution until I was miles away. I wandered the dense valleys and traversed the low peaks of the mountains that stretched in either direction, searching for something and nothing all at once. I heard not a soul – human or immortal. The lack of dialogue in my head was refreshing, yet terribly lonely at the same time. I tried to imagine a life in constant exile – one where I would never burden another creature with my lachrymose spirit. How long before my will to live dissolved like the minerals in the dank soil beneath my feet? Decades? Months? Days?

The longer I trekked on my journey to nowhere, the less clear my plot in life became. Was I meant to be alone for eternity, and should I abandon my family for good? Or could I try and endure; try and change my inherent, melancholic nature to one more agreeable to those who chose to cohabitate with me? Could I find some form of middle-ground with Rosalie, even after everything that had occurred between us?

The mere process of attempting to work through these probabilities was maddening. And so, I conceded to the obscurity of my fractured existence. I collapsed upon the forest floor under the gloomy shade of a massive Chestnut tree. Summer slowly ebbed away as the minutes bled into weeks. My eyes closed, my breathing stopped, and I became dead to the rest of the world.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed when I heard it, or rather sensed it. Something different was moving through the forest – not the usual rustle of insects, herbivores, or birds. And it was moving towards me; cautiously. I slowly opened my eyes to bright sunlight above me, pushing through the canopy above. A lone beam of light struck my frozen cheek like the finger of God, caressing my sorrow and attempting to leech it away with its succulent warmth.

Despite myself, I dared to hope.

My ears strained to focus on the approach of the vampire, and for a split-second my engrained sense of survival awoke, urging me to move to my feet and prepare to take flight if danger presented itself. But something deep in my chest told me this was no foe. The sliver of hope sprouted miniscule roots and began growing as images of Carlisle and Esme flashed within my mind. _Had they sought me out? Did they want me back?_

I did not move; instead I closed my eyes again and remained still upon my earthen bed, not wanting to seem too eager to greet whoever grew nearer. Yet my nostrils flared on their own accord, greedily drinking in the dank and familiar smells of the forest around me, and within that deep breath came another scent which caused me to nearly gasp.

_Rosalie_.

Why her?

The hope wilted away immediately as I braced myself for what would surely be some form of torture, mental, verbal, or otherwise. I had fled to escape her, yet she refused to grant me any such peace. The logical emotions I expected to feel were annoyance, anger, and frustration. But instead I felt nothing.

_You're a hard man to find._

I ignored her thought, forcing myself down into the darkness I had retreated to since collapsing under the tree.

_Edward, when was the last time you fed? You look horrible..._

Silence.

_They want you back. Please come back._

"Then why didn't they come?" My voice was foreign to my ears, raspy and weak despite my brain directing the statement to snap at her. I sounded like a whiny child, and that realization made me cringe deep inside. _Don't let her see that – she'll use it against you!_

I felt her shift her weight, the tremors beneath me slight, but noticeable despite her gracefulness. "Edward…" she trailed off softly, her voice silken in the air above me. Even with my eyes closed, I could see her perfectly proportioned face hovering above, her eyes the color of a heavy sunset staring down.

She took a deep breath. "They asked me to come, because they wanted you…us…to _reconcile_ first."

I didn't answer. Instead, I ran her words through my head repeatedly, testing them for validity and any sign of malice. As if reading _my_ mind, she continued.

"I'm very sorry for everything that's happened. I honestly don't know how to explain it or excuse my behavior. I shouldn't have let things go as far as they did, but I…" As the awkward silence loomed above me, I cautiously opened one eye and peered up at her angelic form. Rosalie wasn't looking at me, but rather staring off into the distance, her features strained. Fearful of interrupting her apology, I held my breath and waited for her to continue at her own pace.

"…these past few months have been extremely difficult for me. I hope you can understand that."

Part of me wanted to end this self-imposed exile; take her words at face value, and _live_ again – well, as much as a demon like myself could live in this world. But another part of me screamed to ignore her, reminding me repeatedly how she had lied, and turned my mundane life upside down by forcing herself upon me and creating unneeded tension between Carlisle, Esme and myself. That part of me _hated_ her with every fiber of my being and still wanted her erased from her dismal existence, despite Carlisle's order. Out here there would be no one to save her, no one to witness my savage act. I could easily destroy the body and lie to my parents, tell them she had simply ran away, never to be seen or heard from again. That was another thing she had cast unwillingly upon me – _the ability to lie. _Never had I had a need or want to falsify my actions or whereabouts to those I loved, but she had forced me into a position where I had done so time and time again. Each lie got easier with time; given enough preparation, I was confident I could lie to Carlisle and Esme about her whereabouts without obvious suspicion. Seeing into their minds, I could craft the lie in whichever manner solidified my story. It would be entirely possible to do…

My devious daydream was interrupted as she spoke again.

"Please consider coming back. For them." With an air of finality, she blinked once, and glanced down at me, the sharpness in her brow still present, but slow dissipating as I saw my ragged form reflected in her mind.

_How could you let yourself go like this? You look dreadful!_

Cringing, I moved to sit up, acutely aware of how the movement felt. My limbs weren't stiff – not in a mortal way – but I felt physically weak and emaciated. Venom began surging down the back of my throat as my body cried out for sustenance of any form. _You could end the starvation by taking her…kill two birds with one stone…_

Rosalie squatted down in front of me, scrutinizing my face. "You need to feed."

I rolled my eyes. "I know."

"Let's hunt."

Within my mind, I saw two very different scenarios play out in a mere second. The first was of me rising slowly, then moving at lightning speed, teeth bared, latching onto her graceful neck while simultaneously snapping it and beheading her. I had done it before…despite her newborn strength, I was still faster, and I knew I could kill her before she'd even realize what hurt her. Then I would return to my family and deny ever seeing her. They'd believe my lies, but within the wretchedness of my frozen heart, I'd have to live with the truth – _and_ the lie; forever.

The second scenario was more of a blur - racing behind her before working in tandem to feed off a lone buck, or maybe a mountain lion if we were fortunate enough to come across one dozing within the limbs of a tree on this hot afternoon. And then subsequent hunting trips, these with our parental-figures. A sort of family affair, if you could label such a hellish activity as one. Although I wasn't visually stimulated by this scenario, it was more of the emotion that held me in rapture. A feeling of warmth and _belonging_ swept through my bones. It was intoxicating – nearly as much as the bloodlust I felt every minute of the day. _Could I find peace by returning to them? _

Nodding once, I stood slowly, watching her warily from the corner of my eye and subconsciously making my decision before I could even attempt to think it through. _Don't trust her. _Although I could sense the sincerity in her earlier words, the time had passed when I gave her any benefit of a doubt. Peace – maybe. But nothing more with her except co-existence. It was the only way I could fathom such a decision.

_First things first – feed. _I gave into my primal instincts and followed her lead as she began to jog to the west.

Neither of us spoke, and her mind remained blissfully focused on the task at hand. The pickings were slim – the only scents I picked up were that of scurrying rodents and the occasional hare feeding under the dense underbrush. But even these repugnant creatures made the venom in my throat stream with desire.

When I started to drift away from Rosalie, towards the heavy aroma of a family of rabbits, she shot me a very deliberate thought.

_How can you? They're so…small and inadequate. It'd take several dozen of them to feed your thirst._

I fought off a chuckle, not wanting to alert any attentive prey to my approach, or to inadvertently break the delicate olive branch Rosalie had extended. I slowed to a halt and turned back towards her, speaking as softly as I could.

"I'm not as thirsty as you are."

She looked perplexed, cocking her head to one side.

_But you obviously haven't fed in weeks. _

I nodded. "Yes, but the burn is more…easily controlled for me than it is for you. A handful of rabbits will suffice for now."

_Why? How?_

"I'll explain afterwards." I gestured to my right, back the way I had been heading. Without hearing her thoughts, I could see the conflict in her eyes – she wanted more answers to my ambiguous words immediately, but she was fighting back the urge to let her domineering personality stop me from hunting. _Her self-control at such a young age is remarkable._

Turning my back to her, I rushed forward, closing the distance between myself and the rabbits, easily draining five of them in a matter of seconds. Two more scurried off in the opposite direction, but their flight was short-lived. Rosalie flanked their path and captured each within her hands, feeding as quickly as I had.

I smiled despite myself. _Why am I so repeatedly astonished by her talents?_ I thought back to my newborn days, and those of Esme, comparing and contrasting Rosalie's abilities to ours, and the pace at which she seemed to master her vampiric skills. Although her progress was only slightly more accelerated than mine had been, I couldn't seem to shake my fascination with watching her hunt. What was so special about it? Esme moved just as gracefully, yet I thought nothing of it when we ventured into the woods together. I could feel the inability to understand starting to sour my mood, so I pushed the nagging sensation aside and instead focused my attention on the forest, seeking out more food.

Up ahead I could hear mice foraging amongst the dried leaves beneath the towering trees. When Rosalie heard them, she gave me a withering look.

_Rats? You aren't…_

My eyebrows rose unconsciously. "I am."

Before she could protest further, I raced down a gradual incline and descended upon the despicable creatures. Her earlier thought rang in my mind – _inadequate_ – but, the small amounts of blood were enough to take the edge off my burning thirst until evening fell and the larger, more desirable beasts made an appearance. As the rich sustenance filled my weakened veins, once again I became one of the undead and felt myself slowly returning to the purgatory known as earth.

* * *

"Tell me - how was that enough? How do you appear like you've just drained a few deer instead of a handful of rats and rabbits?"

We walked side by side, slowly making our way back towards the house, though we were still miles away. She kept her thoughts under tight control, not allowing me to see more than what she spoke out loud. That normally irritated me, but my senses indicated that she did it more out of a strange form of respect rather than attempting to goad me into another argument or fight.

I chose my words carefully. "Because I'm not a newborn."

"So I could never do what you just did. Essentially, waste away into the ground and not…feed."

"No, probably not."

She glanced at me from the corner of her eye. "There's uncertainty in your tone. Why?"

Damn. Rosalie was too observant most times. I considered a few different responses and the probability of which direction each would lead, but before I could chose one, she answered the question for me.

_You never tried it when you were a newborn._

"No. I couldn't if I tried. Carlisle kept very close tabs on me those first few years; instructed me on his vegetarian lifestyle and taught me tricks to withstand the temptation to follow my instincts and ravage a populated area."

She was silent several moments. "If I wanted to, I'm sure I could."

"Highly unlikely."

"You said yourself that I have unusual self-control over my actions." Her voice was filled with pride, yet the wall blocking me from her thoughts began to crack. For a split second, I saw a glimmer of something else.

A huff escaped my lips just a second before the words invariably tumbled out. "I did. But you're not as infallible as you think."

_What is that supposed to mean?_

As much as I longed to audaciously call her out on her occasional mental weakness, I feared that reminding her would only strengthen her resolve to keep me out of her head for good, and give me no edge whatsoever. And she was right – she _was_ an unusual newborn…unlike any I had seen or heard about from Carlisle's vast experiences across the country and abroad.

But regardless of how talented she may truly be, that was overshadowed by what she tried to hide from me in her mind. _She wants out of this unnatural life, and she's prepared to do whatever she needs to accomplish that goal. Even starving herself to _death_._

I sympathized with her pain completely, thinking back to every time I'd begged God to strike me down, even if it meant a sure place for me in hell. Yet, I also felt strangely obligated to prevent her from harming herself. Although I had seriously considered murdering her time after time, I couldn't fathom consciously knowing she was going to end her own life and _not_ step in and stop her.

But I was still torn – my head aching as both emotions battled one another for dominance. How should I answer? As badly as I wanted to share my misery with her, I knew it could only lead to unpleasant things. Inevitable fights and bickering, manipulation of my emotional distress, or worse – two completely desperate vampires, hell-bent on ending their lives, and suddenly each given a partner in crime. _Totally unacceptable._

So instead, I did the one thing her presence had driven me to recently perfect. Without as much as a second thought, the lie flowed from my lips without one hint of uncertainty.

"Rose, it is impossible for a vampire to commit suicide. Better get used to this life."

* * *

_AN: "Betrothed" has been nominated in the category __**"It's so wrong, it has to be right (Best Non-Canon Pairing)"**__ for the first edition of "The Vampies", the first awards honoring Twilight vampfic. Thank you for nominating this story – I truly appreciate the honor and will continue to post new chapters as quickly as possible._

_Voting begins __**Sunday, July 11**__**th**__**.**__ Below is the link to the site. Please take a moment to vote!_

_www(dot)twificpics(dot)com(slash)vampawards(slash)?page_id=198_


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